A few years ago, I met a French woman, an Italian man, and a German. It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but they told me about their plan to build a European political party. I took a leap into the unknown and resigned from my job at Ahold. Together with Laurens Dassen, I founded Volt Netherlands, an adventure that has grown to great heights. Today, Volt is active in 30 different countries, with more than 150 elected representatives and over 30,000 members across Europe. A milestone, but our ambition is much greater.

I entered politics because I am convinced that Europe can, and must, do better. It is time for a new European project that is resilient in the face of the challenges of the 21st century. My goal is to help build a Europe that is more democratic, more decisive, and more just than it is today.