DéFI & Vous
Volt Europa is the first pan-European party, driven by progressive values and a pragmatic approach. Active in 30 European countries and fuelled by the work of elected local councilors in seven countries, Volt Europa’s cross-border approach enables citizens to learn how common challenges are being tackled in other countries.
Volt's motto is "Think European - Act Local", and we translate this vision by drawing inspiration from good practices in other major European cities in order to offer to the city of Brussels solutions that have been tested and proven elsewhere, so that the city can proudly boast of being a worthy European capital with great living conditions.
Our proposals complement the joint programme of the DéFI & Vous list in Brussels, including:
Deploying all efforts to ensure the best quality of air and water, including by maintaining the low-emission zone (LEZ), pedestrian zones and developing green spaces
No tolerance for cases of street harassment, strengthening the monitoring of complaints filed following homophobic and transphobic attacks
Support for female entrepreneurship with the creation of subsidies for women to create their own businesses, as part of competitions and support for the implementation of projects, with starting amounts of at least 20,000 euros
Ensuring the cleanliness of the streets by developing underground waste collection sites as well as developing spaces for containers in residential buildings, drawing inspiration from the example of Ljubljana
Fighting against incivility, strengthening sanctions for those who litter the streets
Implementing a night-life policy in consultation with a “mayor of the night” like in Rotterdam or London, promoting the economic activity of this sector while limiting the nuisances caused
Maintain affordable housing by drawing inspiration from the Vienna social housing model
Work on the accessibility of roads for all, including by removing paving stones from pavements in poor condition
Guarantee better security by developing a proximity police force and more frequent patrols
Make the European quarter more lively by developing cultural activities there, creating a bridge between the Belgian population and expatriates
Develop services to support the elderly and dependent people, such as alzheimer-cafés
Ensure a dignified reception for asylum seekers, including their housing
Place schools in a broader framework of personal development in our society
Build more public swimming pools and in the meantime facilitate access for schoolchildren to existing private swimming pools
Facilitate access to city services and administration in English and other commonly spoken languages, including by means of of translation and interpretation technologies
Promote the plural aspect of the city with a festival of European citizenship and multiculturalism
Act in favor of participative democracy; listen to the opinions of neighborhood committees, and allow them to submit urban development projects
Set up a citizens' council drawn by lot, to support the municipal council in its decisions, like those in Lille or Ostbelgien
Facilitate the registration of European citizens for local elections, as soon as they are bound to register with the municipality before the 3rd month of their stay in Brussels