YoUTH, FEMINISM, EU MOBILE CITIZENS

I was born in the Azores islands of Portugal, one of the outermost regions of the EU. I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to study abroad in Prague, Czech Republic. And since 2017 live in The Netherlands. This means I've experienced many of the different realities of our Union.

I am one of 17 million EU citizens living in a member state that is not their own. It's estimated that in the Netherlands there are at least 600.000 of us mobile European citizens. It is thanks to the EU that we can travel without restrictions and live, work and study abroad. 

A lot more needs to happen to ensure people can make the best of their European citizenship. Voting rights need to be clarified and made easier, for instance by enabling online voting. Transnational lists should be introduced alongside national lists to the European Parliament. Administrative processes should be standardized and made available in different languages so that every worker is aware of their rights and can access social security and other benefits. Pension systems need to be re-thought to meet the needs of people who spent their careers in different countries. In summary: we need an EU that can meet the needs of the people who make use of their EU citizenship in their daily lives. 

In 2022 there were as many Members of the European Parliament (MEP) named Martin as there were MEPs under 30 years old. It's important that all democratic institutions, including the European Parliament, are places where people of all ages have a seat at the table.

With others of my generation, I want to fight for issues that affect us the most. To ensure people have the right to be themselves, free of discrimination. To guarantee social and economic rights: promoting decent and affordable housing, fighting against exploitative practices of platform work, ending unpaid internships. To ensure every young person in Europe has access to quality education and training, and opportunities to study abroad like the Erasmus program. And of course, to ensure a livable planet for the young people of the future, by effectively working against climate change and for environmental protection. 

In EU policy making, young people must be represented. First by electing young MEPs, but also by ensuring that legislative impact assessments include the voices of young people and by continuing to invest in youth organisation and supporting initiatives that make the bridge between EU policy making and the youth, such as the European Youth Event and other online and offline dialogue platforms. 

I am a feminist. If elected, I will fight for the rights of women across Europe. Women must live free from discrimination, harassment and violence. Earn equal pay for equal work. Have full control over their sexual and reproductive rights, including having the access to safe and legal abortions. Be given the same opportunities as men and access to the same positions of power. Have access to mechanisms that prevent and respond to gender-based violence, online and offline. On all these fronts, intersectionality must be front and center, ensuring that the rights of all women are advanced. 

These changes will not happen overnight, they require hard work, particularly in a time where we see women's rights regressing in some countries. I firmly believe we need progressive voices to carry on the work of the feminism movement in policy making generally, including in the European Parliament.