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E.U. Election Results

I am astounded that no one has yet made mention of the E.U. election disaster for the ruling parties in practically all 25 E.U. member countries. Domestic policies gave a good asskicking to the likes of France and Germany, while in the U.K. Iraq as well as domestic circumstances, the former of which I believe was more of an impact causing a weakened Labour party. I am interested to get the feel from many Europeans on the board as to the domestic reaction to the elections and how it played out, not including of course the record low voter turnout which makes one wonder about the E.U. Call it disullionment, apathy, protests but the Eurocrats seem to be more interested in forcing Brussels on other nations as opposed to the people's enthusiasm for the E.U. governance. Just my sense though.

Europe, divided it stands.

Re: E.U. Election Results

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Originally posted by NYCTrancefan I am astounded that no one has yet made mention of the E.U. election disaster for the ruling parties in practically all 25 E.U. member countries. Domestic policies gave a good asskicking to the likes of France and Germany, while in the U.K. Iraq as well as domestic circumstances, the former of which I believe was more of an impact causing a weakened Labour party.

Yes, it is a sad testament to the flaws of democracy that people, which cannot distinguish between domestic politics and the role of the EU-parlament, are given the opportunity to decide the future constellation of EU-parlament. Technocracy now!

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Originally posted by NYCTrancefan I am interested to get the feel from many Europeans on the board as to the domestic reaction to the elections and how it played out, not including of course the record low voter turnout which makes one wonder about the E.U.

I'm currently participating in a summer course with people from all of Scandinavia and the Baltic countries (new EU members). Basically the election came and went with little notice, except from one very enthusiastic Estonian. He was mostly interested in the low voter turnout, though (of which the record is held by Estonia I guess), and secondly in the number of members seats alloted to the individual countries. I would suspect that the status of the election for the EU-parlament is somewhat like those for the Senate and Congress in the US?

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Originally posted by NYCTrancefan Call it disullionment, apathy, protests but the Eurocrats seem to be more interested in forcing Brussels on other nations as opposed to the people's enthusiasm for the E.U. governance. Just my sense though.

I blame the complexity of the EU working process. Relatively few people have the surplus of energy required to get familar with it. Unlike the US, we do not currently have much EU stuff in the curriculums in public schools, which is probably a mistake.

i think one reason for the low election turnout is that the parliament doesn't have any big power.. but that will probably change with the new consitution, but yeah guess not everyone are that aware of it... and as trancaholic pointed out, people don't know that much about the EU, so they don't care (yes that's stupid..)

it scares me tho that so many EU sceptic parties got such succsess. i have not seen any results for europe as a whole yet, but in sweden the EU sceptic party got 14% of the votes... and i think UKIP in england got a good result too... and the same goes for the whole EU... sad imo =/ but i guess it will take some time before EU will get more integrated...

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Originally posted by St_Andrew it scares me tho that so many EU sceptic parties got such succsess. i have not seen any results for europe as a whole yet, but in sweden the EU sceptic party got 14% of the votes... and i think UKIP in england got a good result too... and the same goes for the whole EU...

In Denmark the sceptics suffered a huge setback. I ascribe it to the fact that our previous PM, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, was running for the first time. He runs for the social democratic party, whose supporters mostly are EU sceptics. This time familiarity apparently outshone xenophobia.

The reason the turnout was so low includes the following reasons:

Euro 2004
Grand Prix of Montreal
24 Hours at Le Mans

But seriously, I'm glad to see the skeptics in the UK and in other nations got the recognition that they deserve.

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Originally posted by imokruok The reason the turnout was so low includes the following reasons: Euro 2004 Grand Prix of Montreal 24 Hours at Le Mans

lol that may actually have *something* to do with it

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But seriously, I'm glad to see the skeptics in the UK and in other nations got the recognition that they deserve.

why?

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Originally posted by St_Andrew why?

Because I personally feel as though France and Germany try to run the EU as their own personal fiefdom, other nations' opinions be damned. These results will put a brake on the integration that is apparently causing disillusionment among a fair number of people.

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Originally posted by imokruok Because I personally feel as though France and Germany try to run the EU as their own personal fiefdom, other nations' opinions be damned. These results will put a brake on the integration that is apparently causing disillusionment among a fair number of people.

That'll be why the Pres is Irish and the Vice Pres is Greek then?

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Originally posted by imokruok Because I personally feel as though France and Germany try to run the EU as their own personal fiefdom, other nations' opinions be damned. These results will put a brake on the integration that is apparently causing disillusionment among a fair number of people.

yeah, somewhat true, but they are two of the most significant countries in europe, so i'ts kinda natural really and it's not like the rest of the countries don't have anything to say about it...

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Originally posted by Dervish That'll be why the Pres is Irish and the Vice Pres is Greek then?

Which as I'm sure you know makes very little difference. Because the figureheads rotate so much, those positions come with very little power - 6 months is not enough time to expand the power of the office. The true power comes from all of the permanent staff and the Commission, who are overwhelmingly pro-integrationist.

Having tried to get more information via the EU website and it being difficult (due to the size and nature of it) to get to the information I wanted in the language I wanted. I recon the union is too clunky and too complicated. I'm half joking and half serious. It made me think it must be too complicated to govern effectively.

Re: Re: E.U. Election Results

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Originally posted by trancaholic I would suspect that the status of the election for the EU-parlament is somewhat like those for the Senate and Congress in the US?

In the past, yes there was generally a low voter turnout for senate and congressional seats compared to the presidential election (at least with younger voters). However with the current political polarization in the U.S., senate and congressional seat are now fiercely fought over by candidates and the public (in my area at least) has become much more aware of the power of those seats.

the vast amount of people dont care or dont understand the politics thus there is a tiny turnout.

i think the EU should just be a free-trade area with some common policies (the environment is one obvious one) but it should not be a superstate. I dont think any country would want to be run from Brussels

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Originally posted by imokruok Which as I'm sure you know makes very little difference. Because the figureheads rotate so much, those positions come with very little power - 6 months is not enough time to expand the power of the office. The true power comes from all of the permanent staff and the Commission, who are overwhelmingly pro-integrationist.

Well, France and Germany really can't do anything alone, they need support of at least 2-3 members. And really, you could make the same argument about the US how it is governed by, say, New York and California, while North Dakota doesn't have anything to say about it. Some regions are bigger than others and it's normal for them to have more say in common affairs.

Besides, it's not like a country can't leave the EU if its population desires it.

Do you guys have a constitution yet?

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Originally posted by occrider Do you guys have a constitution yet?

Now, Now Occ be nice You know it must stipulate that French is the official lingua franca of the European Union, after all we can't have English as it can we mes amis. Sorry had to say that. In all seriousness however how many citizens of Europe have actually read that document, I heard it is a behemoth of beastly proportions that a bookworm would get tired of reading.

They'll eventually approve it but when is another subject. Spain has quit standing up for themselves after Zapatero took over and says Spain will relax some demands so that leaves Poland pretty much holding out albeit faintingly, they have no chance against France and Germany who had another meeting yesterday between Schroeder and Chirac, seems like everyday they meet no wonder the domestic situation is so shitty as the recent electoral polls indicated.

Well just wait, European Union is a new system (Maastricht 1992) ppl don't know many things about all the E.U. institutions. We have achieved a good economic union the next step is the politician union and the things will be easier with the constitution.

I'm sure in a few years ppl will be more involved with the Union and next elections will be a success, just wait. E.U. is a new thing and in the beginning was created for economic reasons, just now we are debating the politician union so we can't pretend have a good results since majority of ppl don't know many things about the functions of the E.U's Parliament. For me these results show the ignorance of ppl about this institution, they don't know the advantages/disadvantages of a Politician Union and so they haven't voted.

E.U.

Personally, I think EU overly concerns itself with rediculous minor issues and that's what alienates some of the common folk and gives juice to the anti-EU radical parties. Personally, I'd be for integration of the economy, foreign policy, judicial system, and labor/scientific community while leaving stuff like the maximum allowed size of a banana to member countries. Hopefully, the constitution will regulate more important things and will lessen the power of vetoing decisions. And yeah, there will be one soon...maybe even within this month.

http://www.elections2004.eu.int/ep-.../graphical.html

the actual results of the elections

and agrees with booth UnBracKo and drug tito here

I forgot to mention that one of the reasons for the low turnout is the fact that there are 100 million people from the new member countries who really don't know anything about the functioning of the EU and have therefore largely abstained from voting.

Sorry to burst the bubble guys but the E.U. is going to be one big bloated political body where nations attempt to look out for their own interests and every policy seems to stagnate. What does that remind you of (U.N. anyone). Now they are talking about Bulgaria and Romania in 2007 or 2008, and even Turkey after that, nothing like more cooks to spoil the pot. Ireland is already complaining about eastward expansion because it affects their nice little economic packages that they received for so many years. I hope the E.U. succeeds, but as of right now unless Eastern European standards rise quickly economically that is like Ireland did then look for those nations populations to wonder what the E.U. means for them personally.

It is not the E.U. parliamentarians who drive around in their BMW's and Mercedes but the citizens of the respective E.U. member countries that will have the last say as to whether the E.U. will succeed or fail, if the elections were of any significance its off to a bad start. Domestic issues outweighed any interests about European politics and even Iraq where Herr Schroeder attempted to use it to his advantage with the phrase to Germans about thinking internationally for the Euro elections. Good luck Europe, while I continue my campaign against the Shrub here in America to deny four more years to him, I will eagerly watch from across the Atlantic to see the direction of the E.U.

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Originally posted by DrUg_Tit0 Personally, I'd be for integration of the economy, foreign policy, judicial system, and labor/scientific community while leaving stuff like the maximum allowed size of a banana to member countries.

We've always had bigger bananas in the USA.

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Originally posted by imokruok We've always had bigger bananas in the USA.

I think you'll find that the biggest banana is located right here in Australia.

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Originally posted by NYCTrancefan Now they are talking about Bulgaria and Romania in 2007 or 2008, and even Turkey after that, nothing like more cooks to spoil the pot.

Hey, hey, hey, you forgot someone! Croatia is gonna come in at that time too!

And my banana is bigger than any of yours!

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