5+1 Challenges
Volt has identified and defined 5+1 goals that must be achieved to improve the quality of democracy, the economy, and social protection in Cyprus and in Europe as a whole.
The goals that need to be achieved in our country are practically common in all European countries, but their handling can be adapted at the national level, taking into account local realities and specificities.
The +1 goal pertains to the proposal of the pan-European movement Volt Europa for the reform, federalization, and strengthening of the European Union and is identical in all national programs.
1. Smart State
Education and digitization are the keys to the 21st century.
The state must provide state-of-the-art public services for the benefit of society. We consider important the policies that strengthen:
The digitization of government to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and the quality of public services.
The modernizing and upgrading of the education system.
The provision high-quality and accessible healthcare for all.
The development of a just and transparent legal system with effective law enforcement, combating corruption and tax evasion.
The safeguarding of the rights and freedoms of citizens in the digital environment.
The strategic investments in scientific research.
2. Economic Renaissance
An innovative economy is the driving force of social progress.
The Cypriot economy, in common pursuit with Europe, should be the vehicle for societal progress while ensuring a decent standard of living for all. We propose:
Targeting the EU's leading presence in innovation and technology.
Addressing unemployment with innovative employment programs.
Developing a pan-European job search platform and facilitating the establishment of small businesses.
Developing economic and entrepreneurial opportunities for underdeveloped areas.
Promoting a circular economy, with recycling and sustainable growth.
Promoting a European initiative on Artificial Intelligence.
Introducing a pan-European corporate tax.
Creating a unified European tax and social welfare systems.
3. Social Equality
No person should be left behind, regardless of gender, income, religion, or origin.
Every individual in our country must have equal rights and opportunities. To achieve this, we support policies that:
End inequalities and discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, disability, origin, or skin colour.
Address poverty and homelessness through established policies such as social housing, access to social benefits, and free healthcare for all.
Guarantee free education, without exceptions, from preschool to tertiary and vocational education.
Support individuals' right to their bodies with harmonized rules at the European level regarding reproductive rights, sex work, and dignified end-of-life options.
4. Global Balance
Europe must take responsibility for the world's challenges.
We want to work on policies that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, such as:
Addressing and reversing climate change.
Promoting fair international trade that doesn't exploit producing countries and their populations.
Supporting sustainable agriculture and fisheries.
Ensuring water and food security.
Protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
Promoting international development cooperation with mutual benefits for all parties.
Regarding immigration, we support:
Developing a new system that fairly distributes the responsibility for humanitarian management of migration among EU countries.
Ending existing legal barriers that deny refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers the right to work.
Creating an international system for preventing and managing refugee crises.
Ending statelessness in Europe as a whole.
5. Citizen Empowerment
Citizens must be empowered to influence politics beyond their participation in elections.
We promote policies that enhance the impartiality and independence of the media, as well as technological tools that enable citizen participation in ways that strengthen democracy. Cypriot and European citizens should be able to:
Make political decisions after receiving diverse and objective information.
Be heard and shape the political agenda on an ongoing basis.
Exercise their democratic rights in participatory, resilient, and fully consultative democracies.
+1 Reform of the EU
We love the European Union, but that doesn't mean there's no room for improvement.
The European Union is our common home. We have managed to unite and build a Union that has ensured peace and prosperity for over sixty years. However, it has its weaknesses. That's why we want to reform and strengthen the governance and institutions of the European Union. We need:
A more democratic, transparent, and powerful Europe.
A federal European Union with common defense, foreign, economic, and social policies.
A more effective EU action in promoting and protecting the interests of all European citizens.
A reform of the functional operation of the European Union and addressing bureaucracy to bring it closer to communities.
