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Top Dutch European Parliament member Sophie in ‘t Veld is facing the end of a two-decade parliamentary career after Volt, the party she just joined, rejected her candidacy for the 2024 European election.
Last month, in ‘t Veld quit her Dutch liberal party D66, citing policy disagreements, and joined Volt, a federalist movement with parties in all EU countries. But after making the switch, she needed a special dispensation to become a Volt candidate for 2024 as she had not been a party member for the requisite three months.
Last week, the Dutch board of Volt rejected her request.
“We have received a lot of WhatsApp messages, e-mails, calls, Workplace messages and letters in which Volt NL members shared their concerns about how we would deal with the possibility of granting dispensation,” Board co-Chair Rob Keijers wrote to members in a letter shared with POLITICO.
“It’s their decision. There’s not a whole lot I can do about it,” in ‘t Veld told POLITICO over the phone, adding that it’s no secret she’d like to continue as an MEP.
Asked if that meant she will no longer be an MEP after next June, she said: “That looks like the most likely scenario.”
“Just occasionally politicians do things because they feel it’s the right thing to do, and not because it’s the grand masterplan for my next career move,” she added with a laugh.
Had she run and been reelected, in ‘t Veld would certainly have become Volt’s most high-profile EU politician; it currently only has one MEP, Damian Boeselager, who was elected in Germany. Volt advocates for a directly elected EU president and wants to give Parliament the power to propose legislation.
In ‘t Veld said staying in D66 and fighting to be a candidate yet again would have caused “World War III” with the party’s leadership, she claimed.
In ‘t Veld also fended off a failed push by D66 to kick her out of the centrist Renew Europe parliamentary grouping at a meeting of its bureau last Tuesday — a move she described as “ugly.”
A Renew official said a debate was held but “there was a clear majority against removing her.”
In ‘t Veld has been vocal in defending the rule of law in Hungary and Poland, criticizing illegal use of spyware by EU governments, and championing the so-called Spitzenkandidaten process to give the directly elected Parliament a greater say over who runs the European Commission, the EU’s executive.
“I think the European Parliament has made some capital mistakes in the last four years, and it’s basically sidelined itself completely,” she said.
“Whatever I do, even if by some curious twist of fate there would be another mandate, or if there’s not … I will be very, very actively involved in European Union and it’s a topic of scrutiny [and] accountability for me are key,” in ‘t Veld said.
