EU Elections

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The disability
community needs to
see themselves
reflected in our elected
representatives.
A disabled woman voting in Cyprus.
Source: Maria Trikouppi
ability between EU countries (albeit the
card will only work in a limited set of circumstances).
It is a start, but persons with disabilities
need more. We need to feel as part of the
European project, as fully-fledged citizens
of the European Union. This means
having the possibility to move, work and
live abroad and have immediate access to
the support we need. It means being able
to receive our disability allowances even
if we move to another EU country. But
more, it means knowing that the EU is
actively working to improve our lives.
The European disability movement has
continuously provided answers. The
EDF manifesto for the European Elections
2024: “Building an inclusive future
for persons with disabilities in the EU”,
includes concrete demands, such as
improving our ability to travel without
discrimination by revamping passenger
rights regulations, or creating a Disability
Employment and Skills Guarantee to
facilitate our access to quality employment.
It also makes an essential call to
ensure women and girls with disabilities,
and persons with disabilities part of other
marginalised groups, are not left behind
in initiatives.
The right to run
Finally, the disability community needs
to see themselves reflected in our elected
representatives. But, for that, we need
to have equal opportunities to stand as
a candidate – and be elected. That starts
with having the right to run. Only 10
countries allow all persons with disabilities
to stand as a candidate without restrictions:
Austria, Denmark, Germany,
Spain, Croatia, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden,
Luxembourg and Slovenia.
And even when we can run for office,
we not only face ‘double the challenges’
due to our inaccessible societies, which
make it more difficult to campaign, but
also ‘double the mental load’ due to bias,
harassment and discrimination – and
for women with disabilities running for
elections, the cost more than doubles.
EU citizens with disabilities deserve to
be part and parcel of the European project.
We deserve to fully participate in it.
And we can. We provided the solutions.
Now, if leaders truly want a European
Union for all citizens, they need to turn
our demands into reality. ◄
About
Ioannis Vardakastanis
Ioannis Vardakastanis is the president
of the European Disability
Forum and of the National Confederation
of Disabled People (NCDP)
of Greece. He is also president of
the Economic and Monetary Union,
Economic and Social Cohesion
(ECO) section of the European Economic
and Social Committee.