Read what the international media say about Volt

Articles from 2025

(for previous years see the end of this page)

• Volt comes in at 3,2% and thus misses out on entering the state parliament in Hamburg – but ahead of the FDP (2,3%) and BSW (1,8%). In terms of age groups, 6% of 25-44 year-olds and 4% of 16-24 year-olds voted in favour of Volt. Co-chair of Volt Hamburg Kira Junge told the election party attendees: "Don't let them take away your victory. It wasn't easy, the circumstances are part of the result. We are bigger than one or two established parties." Lead candidate Britta Peters stressed: "We stand for a strong Europe and for that we are also needed in Hamburg", adds the Hamburger Abendblatt. The other lead candidate Patrick Fischer told the media "that with this support, we can continue our work in the city". He hopes to be able to enter the city parliament in five years' time. (ZEIT ONLINE, 02.03.2025)

• Volt Europa started a European petition to unite the European Union's armed forces by creating a Defence Union. The initiative aims to reach the European Parliament. The party agrees with President Zelensky's statements during the Defence conference in Munich. Inês Bravo Figueiredo, co-president of Volt Portugal, says that "Ukraine has been Europe's involuntary shield for too long. By defending itself, it has defended all of us. But if we give it the chance, Putin's regime won't stop at Ukraine. So we have to be ready". Duarte Costa, co-president of Volt Portugal, explains that "the humiliation to which the US president has subjected himself by aligning himself with an aggressor regime and humiliating the president of Ukraine is the last straw for us to understand our role as Europeans in defending democracy. The world needs a sovereign European Union, with independence from the United States of America, capable of defending those who suffer aggression from imperialism and totalitarianism. For that we need military autonomy." (BOM DIA, 01.03.2025)

• 28 February marks two years since the tragedy of the Tempi train crash. Two years of pain and anger. The victims' relatives and society continue to demand the obvious: answers, transparency and accountability. Volt Greece stands by the families of the victims, by the voices demanding justice, by every citizen fighting for a state that guarantees railway safety, that respects the lives and dignity of all. (Rethemnos Live, 28.02.2025)

• Nearly half of Dutch voters back sending troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force if Russia agrees a ceasefire with the United States, according to a new poll. Altogether 47% of participants in a panel survey by EenVandaag were in favour of deploying troops, while 41% opposed the idea and 12% were undecided. The strongest support came from Volt, 86% of whose voters were in favour. (DutchNews, 26.02.2025)

• For the vast majority of the 21 parties that participated in the federal election, the electoral threshold proved to be insurmountable. While most of the small parties lost more or less votes, only one party made significant gains: Volt Germany received 0,7% of the vote. That is 0,4 percentage points more than in the 2021 federal election – but significantly less than in the 2024 European elections, when the party won 2,6% nationwide and – due to the lack of a 5%-threshold – entered the European Parliament. Thomas Peter, Volt's direct candidate in Bonn commented: "We are disappointed, but we would still like to thank our voters for the trust they have placed in us." Volt was eligible nationwide, but was most successful in the north: in some Hamburg constituencies, the party achieved its highest scores of up to 1,6%. (DER SPIEGEL, 24.02.2025)

• In an article about which parties favour Ukrainians living in Germany in the federal elections, it is stated that Volt is a party that is preferred "because they call for the unification of European armies to more credibly defend EU interests against major powers." Two Ukrainian women emphasise that they are not just concerned about arms deliveries. "If you cooperate at all other levels in the EU, you should do so militarily as well." - "I like the fact that Volt is calling for a common European army." (DER TAGESSPIEGEL, 23.02.2025)

• In an interview Volt Germany’s lead candidate Maral Koohestanian explains that she is representative of the current generation and that it is not about her as a person when asked about the election posters with her picture and only her first name. The climate crisis, digitalisation, the rail network, the labour market and security policy she sees as some of the most important topics which must be thought of in European terms. (FluxFM, 21.02.2025)

• "She wants to bring a breath of fresh air" - headlines an article about Volt Germany’s lead candidate Maral Koohestanian. She does not consider tactical voting a good idea. "Those who vote for the old guard get the old guard, and we cannot afford to vote for the old guard again." Programmatically, Volt has the greatest overlap with the Greens, but a different brand essence, a different main topic: Europe. (Frankfurter Rundschau, 21.02.2025)

• With the Clean Industrial Deal the European Commission wants to make Europe more sustainable and competitive, though the general consensus is that the direction is right, but implementation remains questionable. MEP Kai Tegethoff, member of the TRAN committee, praises the planned investment plan, but sees deficits in the breadth of the measures. "The plan focuses too much on air and sea transport. Why aren't the electrification of the rail infrastructure or charging infrastructure for electric vehicles included?" (Tagesspiegel Background, 20.02.2025)

• In an interview entitled 'Scholz has made Germany look ridiculous internationally', Volt MEP and founder Damian Boeselager talks about why the EU needs more democratic legitimacy and transparency and that the response to the war in Ukraine has been too slow and disastrous. (Wallstreet Online, 19.02.2025)

• Volt MEP Anna Strolenberg, together with a colleague, wrote a letter to commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen. Europe urgently needs new policies to encourage the production and consumption of alternative proteins. "We are certainly not advocating the abolition of livestock farming, but a more balanced approach. It's about more diversity, more choice, about better and healthier products." (Landbouwleven, 18.02.2025)

• Gina Nießer, spokesperson for Volt Germany, is quoted in regards to small parties not included in polls and TV debates. She complains of a "systematic invisibility of small parties" that undermines democratic competition. Gina says that the media primarily focuses on established parties, and that the mere existence of a 'Others' category in polls gives the impression that small parties have no chance. (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 18.02.2025)

• On Feb 12th Kostas Tassoulas from the governing right wing party was elected President of Greece by the parliament. He was the first president elected with the new, amended Article 32 of the constitution which no longer requires a supermajority. In an article, Evangelos Liaras, a professor of political science and co-president of Volt Greece, argues how the Greek constitution gives no incentive for electing a president with cross-party support and how this article of the constitution could be amended (again) to ensure this. (efsyn, 17.02.2025)

• Volt Germany lead candidate Maral Koohestanian for the federal election was accompanied in a video report. Regarding the migration debate, she said: "Personally, I am competing with dual citizenship. I am Iranian and I am German. And I was totally shocked by the discourse that [chancellor candidate] Friedrich Merz has just launched on the subject of migration. And that is also something we see at Volt. Migration should no longer be a topic that drives us, as the AfD has initiated, with all the other parties jumping on the bandwagon now. We are a diverse society, we are an immigration country." (DER SPIEGEL, 16.02.2025)

• On the occasion of the Munich Security Conference, Volt Germany has called for the focus not to be placed only on traditional military threats. New risks such as cyber attacks, hybrid warfare and, in particular, climate change as a security policy factor of increasing importance are also crucial, said Volt lead candidate Maral Koohestanian. In view of the unreliability of US foreign policy, a strong Europe is needed more than ever. The EU must come together, emphasised Maral, with a view to a European army. Her party hoped that the Munich Security Conference will serve as a platform for an intensive exchange of ideas and produce new solutions. (Deutschlandfunk, 15.02.2025)

• Former trainee at Volt Europa Federico Durante, former Volt Danmark co-president Kathrine Richter and Volt Europa co-president Francesca Romana D'Antuono wrote an article about how Denmark outsourcing prisoners to Kosovo, a deal signed in 2021, set pattern for Meloni and Albania. They argue that "the EU’s strength and its global projection should be centred around its ability to lead with values, from pioneering human rights protection to championing democratic governance. Outsourcing societal responsibilities amounts to sweeping the dust under the carpet, and it is a betrayal of its legacy. If the EU is to remain a moral leader it must confront its challenges with transparency, solidarity and a commitment to truly European solutions, which are the only way to forge policies that reflect its ideals. No member state should be left to carry the burdens alone." (EUobserver, 12.02.2025)

• Purple-coloured wooden beams have recently been placed in front of media houses in Munich, Mainz and Unterföhring, among other places. Volt wants to use them to draw attention to the lack of media visibility. Specifically, the party is calling for "all eleven parties that are nationally eligible to run for election to be offered as an option in every poll – and not to be lumped together in advance in the 'Other' category". This is "feasible," said Alexandra Lang, lead candidate for Volt in Bavaria and a direct candidate in Munich-West/Centre. (Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, 12.02.2025)

• Maral Koohestanian wrote an op-ed on the Smart Republic, the concept of a flexible, efficient, citizen-centred state structure. (Table.Media, 12.02.2025)

• In an interview Volt Germany's lead candidate for the federal election Maral Koohestanian spoke about answers to current problems. Important is keeping open the borders in Germany: "We want to tackle our challenges together in a strong Europe, be it climate protection, digitalisation or asylum and migration. That is our clear answer to the nationalism that is being propagated." (t-online., 09.02.2025)

• In a portrait about Volt Hamburg and their lead candidates' agenda for the state election in March. Patrick Fischer emphasises that Volt would follow Scandinavian models and invest up to 8% of the gross domestic product in education. Britta Peters explains the difference to the Greens when it comes to traffic: "We want 30 km/h everywhere, we are introducing a congestion charge, and that will reduce traffic by 20 to 30 per cent." The Greens rely on laws, but Volt, on the other hand, has a comprehensive concept for a city worth living in. (DIE WELT, 08.02.2025)

• In an interview Volt Germany's lead candidate and Wiesbaden city councillor Maral Koohestanian talks about the exchange with other municipalities, news for Wiesbaden's citizens and innovations in an ideal administrative world. (Springer Professional Innovative Verwaltung, 05.02.2025)

• Direct candidate for the German federal election Johannes Hauenschild discussed migration, housing, security and mobility with candidates from the Left and FDP. (Frankfurter Rundschau, 04.02.2025)

• Interview with Volt Germany direct candidate for the federal election in Frankfurt Mariana Haramus, a Ukrainian from a small town who has been living in Germany for more than 20 years. One of the most important areas of her work is working with women. She believes that if there were more women in politics, not only in Germany but also in the whole world, then political decisions would be made differently. "Take, for example, the situation with German aid to Ukraine. Who decides on this issue? Only men. [...] I am in favour of women being more active and visible in politics and making history alongside men." (Amal, 01.02.2025)

• Volt Czechias Adam Hruškas wrote an OP-ed about China's DeepSeek and the opportunity it brought for Europe to regain competitiveness in AI. (Hospodářské noviny, 31.01.2025)

• In an interview Volt Germany's lead candidate Maral Koohestanian talked about the upcoming federal election. “I am representative of Volt, and of the younger generation," says Maral. She has deliberately omitted her surname on the posters "to create trust and approachability" and is running with the hope of "getting many more people excited about politics". Maral prefers to call Volts politics "progressive", instead of using the left-right-spectrum. (der Freitag, 30.01.2025)

• Hulusi Kilim, Secretary General of Volt Cyprus, evaluated the meeting between Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulidis regarding the opening of new crossing points under the auspices of the United Nations and expressed their attitudes and concerns regarding the Cyprus problem. "Our position is clear: all realistic options should be considered without any preconditions or interdependence. We are concerned about the direction of the ongoing talks between the leaders on the opening of the crossing points. This issue is vital for building trust and fostering co-operation between the communities. Every crossing point opened will contribute to the fight against the division of our country and our people." (Kıbrıs Postası, 24.01.2025)

• The 2nd edition of the Citizens in Action Programme in Portugal kicked off. The programme is designed to support citizens interested in running in the 2025 Municipal Elections. According to Daniel Nobre from Volt Portugal, "programmes like that are very relevant in the current political context, especially in the elections, because it is possible for citizens to present strong independent candidacies that are close to the citizens, while being supported and confident in their abilities." Ricardo Martins Antunes reinforces this position, stating that "Volt Portugal doesn't want to be just another political party, it also wants to distinguish itself as a civic platform that promotes citizen participation in politics. For example, in the district of Santarém it's the citizens' movements that do the most work in favour of the environment and the defence of rivers." (Notícias do Sorraia, 21.01.2025)

• The European Parliament is testing a new rule of debate against empty rows of seats - no full lists of speakers will be published before a debate. "Today's improvement was small and certainly only a first step," said Volt MEP Damian Boeselager after the debate. He had pushed the initiative forward together with other members of parliament. He said that discussions in parliament should be much more exciting and reach many more people. (DIE ZEIT, 21.01.2025)

• According to the German Startup Monitor 2024, 6,7 % of the founders surveyed would choose Volt (increased by 1,2 % compared to 2023). Volt sees startups and young companies as the central "drivers of a future-proof economy". The party's election manifesto includes several measures tailored to the needs of founders and the venture capital landscape. For founders and investors, Volt focuses on relief, funding and networking. (Business Insider Gründerszene, 17.01.2025)

• In a report about how short deadlines put smaller parties such as Volt under pressure before the federal election in Germany, top candidates on the Berlin state list, Damian Boeselager and Yasemin Efiloğlu, were accompanied on the streets. Volt is one of the few small parties that were able to collect enough signatures across the whole of Germany. But since there is a 5%-threshold, a substitute vote should be introduced, they argue. The main vote could then be given to a small party. The substitute vote would only apply if that party failed to reach five per cent. (DER TAGESSPIEGEL, 14.01.2025)

• In a debate Volt co-founder Damian Boeselager and young liberal Franziska Brandmann discuss the Free Democrats in Germany. Damian believes they have betrayed their ideals and weakened Europe. Franziska replies that only their party is fully committed to freedom. Damian argues that Volt also clearly stands for individual freedom and competition: “We and the FDP want there to be a clear framework in which people and companies can develop freely. We just draw the framework a little differently when it comes to social policy and planetary, ecological limits.” (DIE ZEIT, 10.01.2025)

• Since January 13th Volt Nederland is no longer on X. Trump's win in the US was the deciding factor, said Laurens Dassen, Leader of Volt in the House of Representatives, in an interview and hopes “other politicians will follow our example”, because Volt can serve as a crowbar. Laurens names other alternatives like Bluesky Social and Mastodon, because "it is important to keep a place where you can exchange ideas with each other, start the conversation.” (Trouw, 10.01.2025)

• In order to formulate policies that respond to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community, the first meeting between the association Proud Seniors Greece - LGBTQ+ Support Group for people 50+ and Volt Greece took place. "The voice of people over 50, especially those who are LGBTQ+, is often left in the shadows. Our meeting with Proud Seniors Greece is an important step, first to better understand the challenges faced by this segment of our society and then to formulate workable policies that ensure meaningful inclusion for all ages," said Electra Rome Dochtsi, Secretary of Volt Greece. (Antivirus Magazine, 09.01.2025)

• Volt MEP Reinier van Lanschot, among others, call on “all free and democratic governments to demand free and fair elections in Georgia and reject the illegitimate Ivanishvili regime”. (Interpressnews, 08.01.2025)

• Members of the European Parliament are putting pressure on the European Commission to investigate attempts by Elon Musk to influence the German election by organising a livestream with Alice Weidel, leader of the AfD. In a letter to EU Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, Volt MEP Damian Boeselager, asked whether algorithmic use of Musk’s platform meets transparency requirements under the DSA. "There are indications that Musk hard-coded a multiplier into the code of X. This would mean undermining the neutrality of the algorithm for the benefit of his own reach," Damian wrote. (POLITICO, 07.01.2025)

• "A deep dive into the workings and new chairs of every single European Parliament committee for the new 2024-2029 session”. The CULT committee with their chair Nela Riehl from Volt is described as an "often 'overlooked' role". "At a time when freedom of science, the media and the arts can no longer be taken for granted, it will be up to our committee to stand up for this," Nela, the only black committee chair, told the magazine. The committee is mainly responsible for cultural aspects of the EU, education, youth, sports and leisure and media policy. Nela stated that these areas "directly affect citizens. I hope that in five years they will say that there has been progress here.” (EUobserver, 02.01.2025)

• Volt MEP Anna Strolenberg and Volt Europa Co-president Francesca Romana D'Antuono talked about the takeaways of their visit to the Meloni migrant detention centers in Albania. (POLITICO, 02.01.2025)

Articles from previous years

• Articles from 2022 (selection)

• Articles from 2023 (selection)

• Articles from 2024 (selection)