One year ago, around 500.000 people voted for Volt across the continent with the agenda to fix the EU! This agenda is now more important than ever. The Covid-19 pandemic has shown that in Europe, the crisis is no longer only a health and economic crisis, but that it also pushes the EU in its current form to its political and a constitutional boundaries. The pandemic has shown Europe its limits. Despite the overwhelming need to discuss the future of Europe with citizens and despite the political push by some leaders, European governments under the leadership of the Croatian Presidency again did not conclude their deliberations – instead the Conference has to wait (link).
In today’s meeting of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, I and other members from the pro-European groups urged national leaders to get a grip and decide on a mandate. That is a good start. To go further, I believe we should also start planning Citizens and Youth assemblies and further detail a meaningful process to best involve citizens in the decision-making process.
Only a Conference that involves and excites citizens in meaningful ways results in the changes that are needed, and ensures that all outcomes are followed up by the institutions. Such a conference can win the trust of Europe’s people and be successful.
Link to video with my intervention in the constitutional committee at 11.58
