NationStates Jolt Archive

I've just finished reading an article about the EU parliamentary elections and the low turnout and ridiculously high protest vote. Why did this happen? What should be done? Did any of you vote in these elections?

I voted for the first time. I chose to vote Lib Dem because they were the most pro european and opposed the war in Iraq. However, they only came 4th behind UKIP! :evil:

I voted in Germany for the Democratic Socialists :) It was a "no ide awhat else to vote so I'll vote for those who didnt screw up in my country yet". I am tired of the current administration screwing up stuff (thsi does not include the Iraq war and the stance of our administration in that matter, I am happy about the reaction of our administration in this matter). However they have failed to solve any of our internal problems such as high unemployment rate due to corporations outsourcing jobs to eastern europe or asia, increasing poverty, decreasing health care, lack of education funds, lack of funding for social security, astronomical budget deficits and more. Basically the same stuff thats going on in the US in regards to internal problems, so I am confident that Bush will lose over there and when that day has come, I - and my entire family (even my grandparents) will celebrate. It was a chance to at least say "No thanks Mr. Chancellor, your politics suck to a large degree".

I've just finished reading an article about the EU parliamentary elections and the low turnout and ridiculously high protest vote. Why did this happen? What should be done? Did any of you vote in these elections?
Yep I voted.
Turn out in the UK was pretty good (just under 40% I think).
And alot of the UKIP vote is being called a protest, some of it might be but talking to people many of them want out and UKIP is the only party to even consider it.

I've just finished reading an article about the EU parliamentary elections and the low turnout and ridiculously high protest vote. Why did this happen? What should be done? Did any of you vote in these elections?
Yep I voted.
Turn out in the UK was pretty good (just under 40% I think).
And alot of the UKIP vote is being called a protest, some of it might be but talking to people many of them want out and UKIP is the only party to even consider it.Out of what?

I don't have the right to vote yet :x .I hate that, her in Holland the turnout was some more than 40%. I think it's because the people think they got nothing to do with Europe. Also it looks all less important than the national elections. When we have national elections, there are debates every day, all the day you get confronted with the elections. By the EU elections this stuff didn't all hapen

Yes, did vote.

This is just how I see it:

In the former parliament, Finland had 16/626 seats.

In the new one, She has 14/732.

So how great is their chances of influencing things, really? I mean if your man/woman ever even made it through.

At least here, the political discussion never even started, really. No one told the public, what he/she was going to do, once in Brussels, or what direction the EU should be taking. All that was heard was the same-as-ever political jargon "we should be cooperative while still standing for our national interests" type thing.

So why should the people vote? Are there any real choises to be made?

And the fact that such lists as UKIP and Junilistan in Sweden were able to make "a surprise" is more than just a protest. It represents the fact that in many countries, people still are sceptic about the Union, and rightfully so, I'd like to add.

It almost makes me laugh how, again, the people voted "wrong" (in cases mentioned) and low vote reflects the weather or the media raising "wrong" issues on the agenda.

As does the fact, that the rise in votes here (from 31,4% to 41,1%) was due to "people starting to feel european questions our own" rather than the public spending on the elections being doubled...

Well, these were just some thoughts. Have a nice day, everybody!

I voted for UKIP as i hate the EU. It is a pointless political union. I am all for economic co-operation but there is no need for the political union.

I voted Green, they didn't get a seat but at least it meant everyone else needed more votes to get a seat.

I'm pro-EU, so UKIP obviously was a no-no, but I agree that the EU and the parliment need to show people why they should care. To be frank the only "wrong" vote is not voting: The people sitting in the European Parliment currently represent the interests of less than half of the people they have power over, a scary thought.

Voted as I always do for the Conservative Party

I *so* wanted to vote, but I couldn't because I wasn't at home that day :(. If I could 've, I would have voted for the German Liberal Party.

I voted for UKIP as i hate the EU. It is a pointless political union. I am all for economic co-operation but there is no need for the political union.

And pulling out would do just WONDERS for the economy. I never realised Kilroy and Collins were the great political theorists of our time....
The UKIP is just thug politics, appealling to the basest emotions of pitiful nationalism and xenophobia. To pull out of the EU would be the biggest disaster this nation has ever faced. Reform is needed, but is a racist, homphobic, failed chat show host the way to go? He's an oppurtunist idiot and his party are little better than the British National Party, full of parochial middle-englanders and disillusioned old Tories, with policies based in fear and ignorance. A vote for the UKIP is not a patriotic act- it will denegrate and cripple our nation into a bumbling ex-empire power, stuck on the edge of a progressive continent, a shadow of its former self.

I voted Green, they didn't get a seat but at least it meant everyone else needed more votes to get a seat.

I'm pro-EU, so UKIP obviously was a no-no, but I agree that the EU and the parliment need to show people why they should care. To be frank the only "wrong" vote is not voting: The people sitting in the European Parliment currently represent the interests of less than half of the people they have power over, a scary thought.

If you are pro-EU then you should be aware that the UK Green party are actually the only Greens across the continent to be anti Europe.

I voted Green, they didn't get a seat but at least it meant everyone else needed more votes to get a seat.

I'm pro-EU, so UKIP obviously was a no-no, but I agree that the EU and the parliment need to show people why they should care. To be frank the only "wrong" vote is not voting: The people sitting in the European Parliment currently represent the interests of less than half of the people they have power over, a scary thought.

If you are pro-EU then you should be aware that the UK Green party are actually the only Greens across the continent to be anti Europe.
Actually, they are for reforms, not anti-EU at all.