Today I voted in advance for European Parliament elections as during election Day I will enjoy my life in Belgrade. If someone has been reading my posts a just question would be Why? Although in general I more like than dislike EU and am familiar in European environment – especially in its eastern parts - I have been also skeptical about EU, criticized some of its policies and I have described European Parliament totally unnecessary institute. In principle I have not much to change with my earlier post “When decisions needed ‘Puppetparliament’ is bystander” but some explanation could take place.
The European elections which really matter are the national ones in those countries which have been the main engines or brakes of the European project. If the Conservatives win the general election in Britain the European project will slow down, while general elections in Germany can give a boost to EU or not depending results. These are the real European elections not this circus next week.
Despite what happens with Lisbon Treaty the political will still expressed through national governments has the decisive role with designing EU’s policy in future and those governments themselves reflect the wishes of national electorates, not the puppet theatre in Strassbourg. So in my opinion the power lies with national governments, and the people of Europe show no desire to place it anywhere else like EU. One proof for my claim is comparing the turnouts with national and EU elections.
The next question is if highlighting national elections at the EP election’s expense is good or bad aspect for democracy. I advocate a basic old EU ideal about subsidiarity principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. It is easier to find, claim and replace responsible persons at local or national level than try the same in EU bureaucracy.
Coming back to the original issue about my motivations to vote in EP elections I have a simple answer – I voted because of domestic policy in Finland. There is nice selection of wannabe MEPs to select in Finland. One can not only vote retired third class politician; one can vote rally driver, athletic, ex-swimmer, variety of mental cases, priest, woman known about her hobby to collect vomit backs from aeroplanes (btw a sitting MEP), talk show hosts etc. There is also few civilized, educated persons with both own visions and experience as candidate however in media hype they are in the background. With my vote I try to show my support to serious politician so that also in future party lists one could find alternatives to celebrities.
(16 votes, average: 4.31 out of 5)
Loading ...
Well done!
I voted today as well, will publish my post abt that later on!
I wish our candidates were as interesting and visible
I still not have received the doc to vote (It has to arrived from Spain to my mailbox in Brussels). They (Spanish Government) could have done it on Internet and I would have printed it myself but this type of facilities is not still running in Spain.
Well, there is still some days to receive the “papeletas” as we say in Spanish. We have to send them before 3 of June.
So, Ari and Anita how could you vote so early? Was it an electronic vote?
Finally why should I vote? Because I believe in democracy (direct democracy) even if it’s an Utopia. MEPs do not have any power but should have more… Finally we need people in Brussels to represent us (by us I am thinking in the real simple minded people and also the cynic). National Parliaments are to far.
To Ana: voting in advance in Finland takes place in post office -some times even in supermarket -but not electronically yet; voting note came already some month ago.
To me it is hard to image that some of those clowns - candidate - is representing me in Brussels as MEP. I feel that due the democracy I am better represented by my national government or by some of lobbyist (from my trade union, regional office etc.) I can use.
Ana, no - I’m an expat as well, so I was voting through post… Received my ballotin papers on Monday by post and on Monday evening I already posted them back to Latvia
I voted yesterday (by post). It was fairly painless.
Hello Ari,
I have a little gift for you with a clown photo in front of the EP in Brussels
http://we.thinkaboutit.eu/profiles/blogs/in-front-of-the-european
Other photos about Brussels I have taken in
http://picasaweb.google.com/aalm2000/BrasserieDeLUnion#
At the end of the day I received the documents to vote for Spanish representatives in the EP. I have to choose between 30 lists (from right to life to movement against the tauromachie or feminists) but I cannot choose single people as in Belgium for example.