We were able to persuade 118,000 citizens to vote for us in the European elections. We raised our voices for peace, solidarity and freedom on our streets. And we will continue to do so.

The results of the European elections clearly show us that we must continue to work against the rise of the right. Both the right-wing policies of the government and its right-wing ‘alternatives’. There is no other option than to fight and resist before Europe falls apart. 

Yes, we are disappointed, because of course we ran to get into the European Parliament. At the beginning of the year, we had to collect the 4,000 signatures needed to be on the ballot paper in a short space of time. Since achieving this, we have run an incredible campaign on a modest budget, made possible by our candidates, a great coordination team and a growing group of members and volunteers.

Our two lead candidates – Karin De Rigo and Johannes Fehr – gave their thoughts on the elections and the road that lies ahead. 

Karin De Rigo: ‘I would like to thank everyone who supported us in this campaign, because they did an outstanding job and I have no regrets, we couldn’t have done any better. Our task does not end here, because we will continue the fight for peace, solidarity and freedom outside Parliament. The political situation in Europe will be difficult, but we are even more motivated to fight for our values.”

Johannes Fehr: ‘We threw everything into it. Thank you to the many people who have supported us, especially from the Palestine Solidarity movement. Our membership has multiplied and together we will regroup and become stronger. Our campaign has united progressive voices in Germany and beyond, under the banner of MERA25. We will continue to consolidate, strengthen and utilise these new connections to stand with all oppressed people!”

Since the beginning of 2024, our membership has tripled. The local group in Berlin alone has grown from a handful to hundreds of active members. Across Germany, volunteers have put up over 10,000 posters and distributed more than 100,000 flyers. Posters that were wilfully destroyed were tirelessly replaced again and again and our social media channels have exploded.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this unique support here locally and to the comrades of DiEM25 at European level and worldwide, and of course to our voters. We also congratulate our MERA25 sister parties in Greece and Italy for a great election campaign and look forward to further cooperation, albeit outside of parliament.

We promise you that we will stay loud and you will continue to meet us on the streets. The experiences of solidarity in the face of state repression that we have had together at demonstrations and events such as the Palestine Congress have left a lasting impression on us and will always accompany our work.

Even if we didn’t manage to get into the European Parliament this time, what we have experienced in recent months shows that change is possible if we stand up for it together and with conviction. We will not leave the field to the few who exploit, oppress and play us off against each other.

We will represent the voices of the many – for peace, solidarity and freedom; for green transformation, social justice and universal human rights inside and outside Europe. And in particular the urgent issue that has tragically characterised the last few months: Freedom for Palestine!

 

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