The small party Volt has been around for six years – politicians from the European Party are now represented in various parliaments.Image: Getty Images Europe / Thomas Lohnes
analysis
In addition to the large parties that are represented in the Bundestag, there are numerous small and very small parties in Germany. One of them is the pan-European party Volt. The German section has now been in existence for six years – the party met in Potsdam for the federal party conference on the last weekend in January.
But what do the pan-Europeans stand for? What does it even mean to be a European party? And what does volt have to do with red, green and yellow?
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The Volt Spirit
The party is young. The German section has existed for six years. Gradually the number of members increases. Gradually, MPs move into city and municipal parliaments. There is no party funding from the federal government for Volt, only in individual federal states such as Berlin – they are dependent on the voluntary work of their volunteers.
The federal election campaign was too much for the young party.Image: imago images / r. flatters
Since the party has neither the number of members of a people’s party nor a youth organization that can support the election campaign, volunteering also means working to the point of total exhaustion.
Because election campaigns are intense. In 2021, the party competed in the federal elections – and failed at the 5 percent hurdle. A damper for the pan-Europeans. Even if they knew that moving in was unlikely. Some members are literally burned out from the challenges of the election campaign.
Nevertheless, everyone at the party conference in January agreed that it was worth it. Because in the course of the election, state associations were founded in all federal states – and Volt has gained in popularity. The European election campaign will also be heralded at the federal party conference. The preparations are ongoing. With the “Team Europe”, career changers are now also being made fit for a candidacy and work in Parliament.
But not only European, federal and state elections are important for the federal association, local elections are also contested as a whole team. Because the Volt spirit includes: All elections are important. The party is most likely to be convincing at the municipal level – the party is now represented in some city council meetings. The young party is trying to establish itself. Collaborate and create. This is also one of the reasons why members have chosen Volt – and not for the big established parties.
There is also the opportunity to shape things within the party structures. And to run for office without first working your way through the party felt from the bottom to the top. Quite a few of the members were deterred from working in other parties.
The term “pan-European”
The Volt party exists in all European countries. Unlike other parties, Volt is not a friendly or sister party, but the same one. They all have the same basic program that can be individually adapted to the specifics of each country.
In addition to the municipal and state associations, as well as the federal association, there is also the European level in the party structure. A joint board and party conference included. Volt Europe Presidents Francesca Romana D’Antuono (Volt Italy) and Reinier Van Lanschot (Volt Netherlands) were also present at the federal party conference in January 2023. Just like Volt’s man in the EU Parliament: Damian Boeselager.
The individual “chapters”, as the state sections call themselves, are networked with one another. Also by means of its own social medium. There, party members from different countries debate openly with one another. And make compromises – even if that is difficult with individual issues such as the evaluation of nuclear power.
Together, the Pan-Europeans want the EU turn inside out Be uncomfortable so that something changes. Because what was heard again and again at the party conference in January: The Voltis are not EU ultras. Rather, they are convinced that a strong Europe is needed to meet all challenges – and that also includes a reform of European democracy.
Values of the party Volt
The basic idea of Volt: The big problems that the EU member states have to deal with can best be solved together. The basic values are shared by all EU chapters of the party.
But Volt has also set priorities at national level: The climate must be protected, the education system improved and poverty fought. Volt Germany, for example, shows solidarity with the social movement #IbinArmutsbattered.
At the Volt party conference, the party showed solidarity with the #I am poverty affected initiative.Image: watson / rebecca sawicki
The question of equality is also essential within the party. How can all members – regardless of their financial background – get the same opportunities to participate?
A working group has formulated guidelines to support the state and regional associations in implementing an equal rights strategy. This includes ideas on how the party structure can be made more equal – for example by having get-togethers in the park instead of in the pub.
The party also works closely with Fridays for Future – until now. Because at least the Fridays section in Bremen has now been put on the incompatibility list by the Volt delegates. Just like the youth organization of the Berlin Left, the Linksjugend Solid Berlin. The reason: anti-Semitism.
The Fridays for Future Bremen section is now on Volt’s incompatibility list.Image: imago-images / Jan Huebner/Taeger
A decision that triggered a long debate at the party congress. In the end, however, the delegates decided on the incompatibility – being a safe space for Jewish members was more important than discussing the details.
Another topic that the party is dealing with: parity. Volt wants more women – in the party and in senior positions. For this reason, before the next board election, there are workshops to activate – and empower – women.
Looking through the hall of the party congress, it is noticeable that Volt is not only attractive to young people. The party consists of younger and older. Full curls and thinning gray hair. Checked shirts can be seen as well as DocMartens – but many also wear Volt merchandise.
Volt is a progressive center party – with left, green and liberal positions. A colorful bunch that has to make compromises that are sometimes difficult for the different currents to make. In the end, Volt’sche pragmatism helps – because all compromises are under the core point of Europe.
In Bavaria, the Abitur is particularly difficult, in Bremen it is particularly easy, and if you don’t get the Abitur in Baden-Württemberg, you only have to move to Hesse to become the best in your class: There are many prejudices about the school systems in the individual federal states – and about the Abitur.
