European Parliament and professional footballers team up

EP President Antonio Tajani and Secretary General of footballers’ federation FIFPro Europe Jonas Baer-Hoffmann signed an agreement to mobilise voters ahead of the 2019 EP elections.

“The European Parliament and the International Federation of Professionals Footballers (FIFPro Europe) both understand that it is essential for as many citizens as possible to vote in the next elections. This new partnership is testimony to that. Players are both citizens and professional athletes, but most of all they are role models. The 2019 European elections are the perfect occasion for football players to take the field and motivate Europeans to set the path for the European Union they want to live in,” President Tajani said, after the agreement was signed.

The International Federation of Professionals Footballers is the exclusive collective voice of all professional players, male and female. The Europe Division of the association represents the interests of professional football players at European level with a membership of 31 member unions. 100 days ahead of European elections, this partnership will form an essential part of the Parliament’s on-the-ground campaign to engage citizens via the platform www.thistimeimvoting.eu.

FIFPro Europe and the European Parliament will work together to form a network of professional footballers on a pan-European, national and local level to create momentum in the lead-up to the elections and motivate as many European citizens as possible to vote in the 2019 European elections. The 10 main participating countries in this collaboration are Italy, Spain, Croatia, Austria, Slovenia, Cyprus, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, and Czechia.

“FIFPro Europe takes on problems not only faced by footballers, but those that often affect wider society,” says Jonas Baer-Hofmann, Secretary General of FIFPro Europe. “This is why players are committed to tackling social injustice and fighting against discrimination in all forms as well as many other issues. These are challenges we know affect our players on the field, but also countless others, every day. We welcome this opportunity to help to bring communities to vote in May, thereby tackling these issues together. I would like to personally thank the President of the European Parliament and its entire administration for this joint initiative.”