Nela Riehl, a European parliamentarian, kindly allowed the interview.
We had the pleasure of talking with German European parliamentarian Nela Riehl (Greens/EFA Group) at the European Youth Event for an in-depth discussion on her journey, her vision for Europe, and her work in the European Parliament: Riehl, a member of the Volt party and president of the committee on culture and education, shared her inspiring journey from a teacher in the city of Hamburg to a prominent voice in European politics.
Your journey from a Hamburg classroom to the presidency of the committee on culture and education of the European Parliament is truly remarkable and very inspiring: what motivated your decision to first enter politics, and then to become a lead candidate in the 2024 European elections?
Well, I joined Volt two and a half years ago because I felt like the world was falling apart, and I needed to do something, anything, to stop it. I never thought about becoming a politician; I was happy in my life. I was looking for a pragmatic party that offers European solutions, especially to fight climate change, and Volt was that party.
At first, I thought I would just be handing out leaflets, never imagining we would have five Volt MEPs in the European Parliament. It was not a career goal; I just wanted to help. People then approached me to run in the European elections, and I thought: why not? If I am motivated by the idea of doing my part: I was elected as lead candidate and ended up here, in the European Parliament. I am very happy to be here.
Volt is mostly known for its vision of a federal Europe. What does a federal Europe mean to you, especially given the current times? You mentioned childhood memories of border controls: it’s something that, unfortunately, despite the Schengen Agreements, we are experiencing again at the moment. What is your view on this?
That’s exactly what I meant when I said I wanted my children and students to have a better world: my father was Ghanaian, and, when I was a child, every time we traveled abroad, he needed a visa; there were real borders. When that went away, Europe seemed to me to be a land of freedom, the one I wanted for my children, I couldn’t imagine border controls returning.
Volt never wants to see border controls within the Schengen area again: we strongly believe in the approach of the ‘United States of Europe’, we are pragmatic and think we need reforms on certain treaties to address common challenges, because member states are simply too small to tackle issues like climate change alone.
That’s why we work to support a pro-European discourse against parties that spread hate and fear. Unfortunately, European democracy is no longer a given right.
Your father is originally from Ghana, and in the European elections in Germany, you were the only black candidate: by being elected, you have in some way broken a barrier. How has your personal experience shaped or is shaping your work in Brussels, your fight against social injustice and racism?
As a black person and woman, you are always politicized; you are always the ‘one and only’ in a room. In my committees, I am usually the only black person, and out of 720 European parliamentarians, there are only four black people, all women. I am used to this; I have never had the privilege of ignoring racism or women’s rights, as it has always been part of my life. This is what politicized me: with many far-right parties here, you feel a hostile atmosphere. I even receive online comments saying things like ‘you don’t belong in this Parliament, because you are not European’, just by looking at me: this is something I unfortunately am very accustomed to. It’s important to bring this perspective here because representation matters, not just for the work of combating racism, but for every committee: we need multiple perspectives, not just ‘old white men in navy suits’.
You have emphasized a feminist foreign policy approach: what does this mean in practice, and why is it urgent for the EU?
A feminist foreign policy is not just about having women in positions, which can be symbolic: it involves a people-centered and life-affirming policy; it prioritizes human rights in foreign policy rather than trade, which has been the past trend. For example, looking at Russia, we see that a trade-focused approach has not worked: my understanding of the EU’s international responsibility is that we must learn from Europe’s violent and oppressive history. We must establish stable and fair cooperation with third countries and strengthen their civil society, promoting democracy rather than imposing our values: women’s rights and health are essential because women make up half of the population, and addressing their issues is a first step to solving many other injustices.
You have consistently advocated for refugee rights and the decriminalization of sea rescue: how do you plan to advocate for a policy change regarding migration rights and policies within the EU with so many far-right voices prevalent at the moment?
It’s a difficult question, with the far right spreading fear. My colleague, Anna Strolenberg, from the Volt delegation, visits places like Bulgaria and Albania to see what detention centers are really like; she exposes all of this on social networks to educate people on the true human impact of voting for far-right parties. We try to tell the truth. Personally, I am committed and support Anna as well as local initiatives in Germany: we believe migration policies should be human-centered, and it’s also crucial to help people understand the difference between asylum and migration. Europe needs to attract talent from abroad, and to do that, we must eliminate fear.
As the president of the committee on culture and education, you have often stressed the importance of education and culture in strengthening democracy and human rights. What specific initiatives are you advocating for to enhance democracy within the European Union and perhaps also in certain candidate countries for the EU?
Well, two months ago, I met with active youth in Lviv, Ukraine. Giving young people the opportunity to speak and engage with each other lays the foundation for a flourishing democracy: we must ensure mobility within the EU for culture and education, as it broadens horizons and helps combat fear. In this regard, Erasmus+ is a tool that we are trying to strengthen and increase the budget for.
People prioritize funding security and defense, but I ask them: ‘what are we really defending if we don’t have culture or education?’ Our daily lives and the expression of our democracy depend on it. I also advocate for stronger university alliances to facilitate academic exchange, which is important for democratic resilience.
Volt, your party, is especially popular among young voters. What more can the EU do to better engage with young people, to convince them that European politics and activism really matter to them?
While events like the European Youth Event are great, they have limitations. We must open the institutions to young people more often, showing them clearly that they can work here. The committee on culture and education (CULT) actively tries to include the youth perspective in every legislative process, which I want to establish as a standard ‘youth prism’. We collaborate with youth organizations and organize panels allowing groups like the European Youth Forum to speak in front of us. This dialogue must be constant and regular.
You have cited Ruth Bader Ginsburg as one of your role models. How does her legacy particularly inspire you, and are there other European figures that have a similar impact on you or inspire your work in Brussels?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a young mother, and her ability to accomplish so much at a time when simply being a mother was considered enough for a woman inspired me to get involved: she showed me that even with limited resources, I could do something. As for European women, it’s hard to choose just one: I admire Sanna Marin, the former Prime Minister of Finland, because seeing a young woman hold such a position was a great source of inspiration.
