PPEU nominates Marcel Kolaja and Anja Hirschel as Spitzenkandidaten for 2024 EU Elections

Luxembourg, 27/01/2024 – Today at the general assembly in Luxembourg, the European Pirate Party (PPEU) officially nominated Marcel Kolaja (Czech Pirate Party) and Anja Hirschel (German Pirate Party) as Spitzenkandidaten for the upcoming European Parliament elections.

Marcel Kolaja, a leading voice in the Czech Pirate Party is dedicated to championing digital rights and innovation. Advocating for transparent and citizen-oriented digital policies, Kolaja offers a fresh perspective to European politics.

Marcel Kolaja, top candidate of the Czech Pirate Party for the 2024 European elections and Member and Quaestor of the European Parliament, says:

“Europe has faced a series of challenging issues in recent years: the COVID-19 pandemic, war in our neighbouring country, an energy crisis, and a worsening climate crisis. This is why we are witnessing a rise in populism and support for far-right parties today. Pirates offer an alternative. Politics based on data and promoting freedom and social justice. It is imperative that the Pirate voice is clearly heard in the highest echelons of European politics. I greatly appreciate the trust that European Pirates have placed in me by nominating me as their Spitzenkandidat, and I will do my best to promote the Pirate values.”

After joining the Pirates in 2011, Anja Hirschel embarked on her political journey in 2019, when she took the oath as a city councillor in Ulm. In this role, she has been actively involved in shaping new eco-social priorities and spearheading digital development initiatives for the city.

Anja Hirschel, top candidate of the Pirate Party Germany for the 2024 European elections, says:

“As the European Pirate Party’s Spitzenkandidatin I aim to represent our values and provide a fresh perspective on the EU’s digital and interconnected future. With a background as a certified data protection officer, I would like to bring expertise in digitalization, data protection, copyright, and environmental issues to the forefront of European policymaking. I am truly honored to have been nominated as the Spitzenkandidatin, and I look forward to representing the Pirate Party’s vision for a European Union that embraces digital advancements while safeguarding the rights and values of its citizens.”

The PPEU is a political party promoting civil liberties and transparency in Europe. Affiliated with the Pirate Party International (PPI), PPEU has 15members across 14 European countries, with elected representatives at national levels in three countries (Czechia, Luxembourg, and Iceland), and at the European level in Germany and Czechia.