Press release 7 Feb 2024
Sweden’s Restore Wetlands and the German Letzte Generation announce that they are running for election to the EU parliament, the first campaigns in the A22 Network to do so.
– There are no parties to vote for, so we have to run for election to the EU parliament ourselves. We are not afraid to take a seat in the parliaments. In the EU, we will give power to the people via citizens’ assemblies. We are candidating to be replaced, says Helen Wahlgren, co-founder of Restore Wetlands and 1st place on the Climate Alliance’s EU list.
Today, Restore Wetlands and Letzte Generation simultaneously launch their candidacy for the EU elections. The German Letzte Generation, like the Swedish Restore Wetlands, is part of the international network A22 Network, which uses peaceful civil resistance as a method to prevent the climate disaster.
This summer, the Swedish party Climate Alliance handed over its party registration to the broad climate movement. A nomination committee, independent from the Climate Alliance, consisting of representatives from the climate movement set the list for the EU elections. The list is now topped by Helen Wahlgren (1) and Pontus Bergendahl (2), both active in Restore Wetlands. They are accompanied by Rufus Rune and Janine O’Keeffe, also active in Restore Wetlands, who can be found in 12th and 17th place respectively.
– We are facing a climate collapse that threatens the very foundations of our societies. At the same time, we are seeing a political breakdown that makes any form of comprehensive change impossible. The time for small steps is over, we need revolutionary changes if we are to avoid a total disaster. It can only be solved with more democracy and more inclusion of citizens in the political process, says Pontus Bergendahl, active in Restore Wetlands and 2nd on the Climate Alliance’s EU list.
– Now we want to bring our resistance from the street to the parliament, says Hinrichs from Letzte Generation at a press conference
Restore Wetlands started at the end of March 2022 and is a movement of people who, through peaceful resistance, intend to ban peat mining and restore wetlands as the first necessary step towards protecting its population instead of destroying it. Restore Wetlands is part of an international network (A22-Network) of resistance that consists of similar campaigns in 12 different countries.
Restore Wetlands’ recruitment, training, marketing and education is supported by the Climate Emergency Fund.
Press spokesperson
Pontus Bergendahl
070-914 62 24
Press spokesperson
Helen Wahlgren
076-216 02 68