Ex-President Ilves of Estonia aligns with a European federalist faction

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Headline: Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Former President of Estonia, Joins Volt Europa: Architects of a Progressive, Integrated Europe

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Former Estonian President Joins Volt Europa: A Federalist Political Movement Aiming to Build a Resilient and Prosperous Europe

In a bold move that signals a new era for European politics, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the fourth President of Estonia, has joined Volt Europa, a transnational, center-left political movement that champions progressive reforms and promotes the integration of the European Union.

In a statement, Ilves expressed his concern about the challenges facing the European Union, stating, "The challenges the European Union faces today have drastically changed. With Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and an antagonistic US administration upending the transatlantic relationship, we need to question whether our European way of life will survive."

Volt Europa, founded in March 2017, operates as a pan-European umbrella for parties with the same name and branding. Ilves' decision to join the movement indicates his belief that, in order to address these challenges, Europe needs to undergo transformative change in multiple domains, including defense, foreign policy, finance, the single market, and decision-making.

According to Volt Europa, "Ilves shares with us the primary goal of building a Europe that is resilient, thriving, and capable of leading sustainable change in these times of uncertainty and turmoil." The movement seeks to transform Europe into a unified, integrated superpower, capable of competing with the US in areas like technology and AI.

Ilves' departure from political retirement underscores the urgent need for Europe to address its challenges head-on. He pointed out that Europe faces threats both from abroad—due to Russia's hostile attitude and actions—and from populist extremists within Europe.

Volt Europa advocates for a strong, integrated European Union with the ultimate goal of creating a federal Europe. Some of its core policies include a European Basic Income, the harmonization of taxes across EU member states, the formation of a European army, and the push for a pan-European capital market to boost tech investments.

Toomas Hendrik Ilves served as Estonia's Foreign Minister and a Member of the European Parliament before becoming President in 2006. Throughout his political career, he has consistently championed progressive reform and close cooperation among EU nations.

The Enlightenment Ideals at Stake

The ideals that Ilves defended are rooted in the Enlightenment, an intellectual and philosophical movement that spread throughout Europe during the late 17th century to the early 19th century. It emphasized the pursuit of knowledge gained through reason and empiricism, as well as the development of social and political ideals such as natural law, liberty, progress, and the separation of church and state.

Core Policy Areas

Smart State: Volt Europa aims to digitize public services to improve efficiency and accessibility[1].
Economic Renaissance: The movement advocates for a transition to circular, green, and blue economies with investments in sustainable industries[1][4].
Social Equality: Volt Europa champions human rights, gender equality, and the implementation of a European minimum income, which would guarantee at least 40% of the median wage[1][4].
Global Balance: The movement calls for action on climate change, ethical migration policies, and responsible trade practices[1].
Citizen Empowerment: Volt Europa aims to establish decentralized governance and implement participatory democracy tools[1].
European Reform: The movement's ultimate goal is the federalization of the EU, with a focus on stronger institutions and regional autonomy[1][3].

Key Economic Proposals

European Basic Income: Volt Europa proposes a "negative tax system" in which low earners would receive payments instead of paying taxes[1].
Pan-European Capital Markets: Volt Europa emphasizes the need for a unified capital market to boost tech investments and reduce market fragmentation[4].
Tax Harmonization: The movement advocates for EU-wide tax policies to reduce inequalities between member states[1].

Security and Digitalization

Defense Integration: Volt Europa emphasizes the urgent need for cohesive EU defense strategies in response to rising geopolitical threats[3][4].
Tech Modernization: The movement calls for accelerated AI development and digital infrastructure investment to prevent Europe from becoming a poor periphery[4].

Endnotes

[1] Volt Europa, Official Website: https://volt.eu/[2] Volt Europa Policies, Official Website: https://volt.eu/policy/[3] European Parliament Election Results, 2019: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/elections/2019/results/en/overview.html[4] Volt Europa, Research & Analysis: https://research.volt.eu/en/[5] Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Interview with Politico: https://www.politico.eu/interviews/toomas-hendrik-ilves-on-europe-needing-to-get-its-act-together/

Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the former President of Estonia, has joined Volt Europa, a political movement advocating for a resilient and prosperous Europe.
Ilves expressed concern about the challenges facing Europe, asserting that the European way of life is at stake due to increasing threats from Russia and populist extremists.
Volt Europa aims to transform Europe into a unified, integrated superpower, capable of competing with the US in areas like technology and AI.
Ilves' decision to join Volt Europa indicates his belief that Europe needs significant changes in multiple domains, including defense, foreign policy, finance, the single market, and decision-making.
The core policies of Volt Europa include a European Basic Income, harmonization of taxes, formation of a European army, and the push for a pan-European capital market to boost tech investments.
Volt Europa advocates for a federal Europe, with the ultimate goal of establishing stronger institutions and regional autonomy.
Ilves' political career has been defined by his commitment to progressive reform and close cooperation among EU nations.
The ideals that Ilves defends are rooted in the Enlightenment, emphasizing the pursuit of knowledge, social and political ideals, and the separation of church and state.