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Source: EurActiv.com [edited]
The election success of the far-right British National Party (BNP) does not signal a major shift to the right in British politics, according to former British Labour MEP Richard Corbett, who lost his seat to the BNP in last weekend’s European election.
What were the reasons behind the result in the UK?
In the UK, the entire attention of the media and the public was on the Westminster expenses scandal, and there was hardly any European content to the debate at all, and that hit all the major political parties. But it hit Labour more because we are in government.
It is not that there has been a big surge in support for the BNP. In absolute terms, the BNP vote was only up about 1% from last time. It was not that they moved forward, it was the decline in the Labour vote. We need to get twice as many votes as them to avoid losing seats.
You are someone who is known as being very strong on European issues both in Brussels and at home. You lost your seat in Yorkshire and Humber to the BNP. Do you think that you were affected more than others by the intensely national focus of the campaign in the UK?
Yes, I think if the campaign had focused on European issues, rather than domestic scandals in a completely different parliament, we would have done much better.
Libertas was completely obliterated and its leader Declan Ganley was blown away. Does this bode well for the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty?
I hope so. I think the results show that people have seen through Declan Ganley. It would suggest that the Irish people won’t be taken in a second time by his lies and innuendo.
Is the rise of the BNP in Britian something temporary, or is this something you see as having a more permanent effect on the British political landscape?
No. I hope very much that it is temporary. As I have said, there has not been a surge in their vote. It was the dip in the vote of the major parties, particularly Labour, due to the major scandal, that has helped them.
After that issue has been addressed – and we will address it, we are addressing it – we will rise again, and the BNP will disappear; or at least they will lose their seats in the next European Parliament election.
Why have establishment and government parties fared so badly in Britain, when the opposite occurred in other parts of the European Union?
The campaign focused on the scandal – day-in, day-out it was on the news. That’s what people asked about when meeting people on doorsteps.
George studied Economic and Social Administration specialised in international trade and affairs at the University of North Paris.
By : George Tassiopoulos
On June 7th the citizens of the 27 member countries of the European Union will elect their representatives in the European Parliament. Many years have passed since 1979, when, for the first time MEPs were elected by the citizens of the member states.
As always, the same question is in the air: Will Europeans go to vote? In France the rate of participation declines every time: 60.7% in 1979, 56.7% in 1984, 48.7% on 1989, (52.7% in 1994, the only exception), 46.8% in 1999 and 42.76% in 2004. In all EU members: 63% in 1979, 61% in 1984, 58.5% in 1989, 56.8% in 1994, 49.8% in 1999 and 45.7% on 2004.
What does that mean? Do Europeans care about Europe? Their laws come from Europe and for a vast majority even their currency and interest rates policy, the fishing and in general the environmental policies. Europeans work together not only in order to produce steel and coal but in order to protect navigation along the Somali coasts and in order to send satellites into space, which means that, after all, Europe is everywhere.
The low turnout in the elections does not necessarily indicate disapproval of the European Union. On the contrary, it could be seen as a demand for more… Europe. Especially at a time when our continent has to cope with a financial crisis, combined with the explosion of oil prices and the collapse of the real estate market.
In the new global game of power, Europeans can stand next to Americans, Indians and Chinese only if they are united.
A new generation of Europeans who were born after the end of the Cold War is emerging form Bratislava to Dublin. Young people, who speak several foreign languages, discover other cultures through the Internet and the Erasmus schemes and who travel to other European countries extensively. Therefore, new generations are more Europe-friendly than their ancestors. Europe’ target is not to become a super state erasing national identities, as Robert Schuman once said « les Etats nations sont une réalité historique » (nation states are a historic reality). What is a common European identity then? It is the feeling of becoming stronger and stronger especially among young citizens.
The turnout was astonishing: 67, 7 % of the Austrian electorate showed interest in the European Parliament.
By: Daniel Nagel
Austria is not only known for its great food, its uncountable skiing resorts, the beautiful landscape and its friendly inhabitants but also for its sound democratic culture. The second part of this beautiful picture is blurred when the development of the turnout of the European Elections in Austria is viewed.
Arguably, Austria seemed to establish itself as a model state in respect to the exercising of democratic rights and thus as an example of a vibrant democracy at first. In 1996, one and a half year after Austria had joined the European Union, the Austrian citizens were called to the ballot boxes in order to elect European representatives for the first time in history. Many Austrians followed the call and made use of their right to vote.
The turnout was astonishing: 67, 7 % of the Austrian electorate showed interest in the European Parliament. This turnout was solely surpassed by the national elections of the same year, namely in 1995 and 1996 (some constituencies, in particular Reutte and Donnerskirchen, had to revote due to irregularities according to a judgment of the Austrian Constitutional Court of 28 June 1996 which partially allowed an appeal of the FPÖ [Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs] against the results of the election of 17 December 1995) when 85,98% of the Austrians entitled to vote participated. Despite this promising start, Austria experienced disillusionment shortly after the burgeoning euphoria. The interest of voters in European elections plummeted down.
Only 49,4 % voted in 1999, 42,4 % in 2004 and this year no more than 45,35 % of the Austrian electorate were willing to change their cosy armchairs for a cold polling booth even if only for a few minutes. The day following the elections one could read in the German press that the results would mirror the current indifference in respect to the Austrian participation in the European Union. Both the people’s party ÖVP [Österreichische Volkspartei] and in particular the SPÖ [Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs], which take turns in governing the country, had considerable trouble with rallying sufficient supporters to take the 20-percent hurdle.
It is difficult to summarize all the factors which led to the rapid decline of the Austrian interest in the European Elections in one interpretative attempt. Nevertheless, there a some factors which might be seen as crucial. When the run-up to the present election is assessed, two facts stand out which might explain both the turnout and the result.
The blame for the low turnout and the Euro-scepticism, which was used as a buzzword by the media, cannot be put on one side – both sides did their stint. The pro-European forces failed to make a real issue out of the importance of the European Elections and the sceptics were successful at bewildering the electorate. On the one hand, the right-wingers launched a campaign spilling out accusations and populist slogans that irritated voters and spread fears, which has not effectively been countered by moderate forces; and on the other hand, the most popular Austrian tabloid continued its practice of publishing half-truths about Europe and the European Parliament, using national issues in order to scapegoat the European Union.
A recent study showed that Austrians tend to trust the media more than their European neighbours do, so how could anyone call the results or the turnout surprising? On the contrary, it solely mirrors the present perception of the importance of the European Parliament by Austrian voters.
Arguably, the result might still be called “a clear mission to continue the pro-European course” as done by the ÖVP on their homepage (www.oevp.at), but it surely constitutes a clear mission to bring Europe closer to its citizens in order to increase interest in both the European Elections and thus the turnout in 2014.
Overall turnout has fallen at each European election in the last 30 years, from a high of nearly 62% in 1979.
Source: BBC [edited] and European Parliament
Centre-right parties have done well in elections to the European Parliament at the expense of the left. Far-right and anti-immigration parties also made gains, as turnout figures plunged to 43% – the lowest since direct elections began 30 years ago.
The UK Labour Party, Germany’s Social Democrats and France’s Socialist Party were heading for historic defeats. The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) looks set to continue to hold power in the parliament.
Jose Manuel Barroso, who seems set for a second term as European Commission president following the centre-right success, thanked voters and assured them their voices would be heard.
FALLING TURNOUT
1979 – 62%
1984 – 59%
1989 – 58%
1994 – 57%
1999 – 50%
2004 – 45%
2009 – 43%
Greens also made gains – the Green-European Freedom Alliance bloc has so far taken 50 seats, compared with 43 in the last assembly. Sweden’s Pirate Party, which wants to legalise internet file sharing, won 7% of the national vote and one of the country’s 18 seats in the European Parliament. However, governing parties in France and Germany appear to have done relatively well despite the crisis.
Centre-right parties have done well in elections to the European Parliament at the expense of the left. Far-right and anti-immigration parties also made gains
In results so far:
* French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP trounced socialist opponents, while greens from the Europe-Ecologie party also made gains
* In Italy, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right People of Freedom party won most votes – 35% – although that was well below his prediction. The anti-immigrant Northern League made strong gains
* In the UK, the governing Labour Party suffered a serious defeat, gaining its lowest share of the vote for a century
* Spain’s conservative Popular Party beat the ruling Socialists, but the four percentage point margin was lower than they had expected
* Poland’s governing centre-right Civic Platform gained ground at the expense of the Eurosceptic Law and Justice Party
* Portugal’s conservative Social Democrats secured about 31% of the vote. The ruling Socialists fell a massive 18 percentage points from the last European election, to about 26%
* Austria’s far right increased its vote on the last European election but was well down on its percentage in last year’s national polls
* Greece’s Socialist party, PASOK, bucked the European trend by securing the largest vote percentage, ahead of the ruling conservatives
The centre-right EPP retains its place as the largest grouping over the past five years, securing an estimated 264 of the 736 seats (the overall number of seats in the assembly has been reduced from 785). The socialists are on 183, while the liberal ALDE has an estimated 84. Provisional figures released by the EU suggested turnout was at an all-time low in some countries, including France, where it dropped to 40.5%.
Lowest turnout was seen in Slovakia (19.6%) and Lithuania (20.9%), while the highest figures came from Luxembourg (91%) and and Belgium (85.9%) - both countries where voting is compulsory.
Lowest turnout was seen in Slovakia (19.6%) and Lithuania (20.9%), while the highest figures came from Luxembourg (91%) and and Belgium (85.9%) – both countries where voting is compulsory.
Overall turnout has fallen at each European election in the last 30 years, from a high of nearly 62% in 1979.
The Pirate Party received 7.13% of the total Swedish votes in the 2009 European Parliament elections, which resulted in one seat in the European parliament.
By: Daniel Östlund, MEP, Pirate Party member, Sweden
I am a member of the Pirate Party and I am proud of it. I joined early this year and would consider myself a grass roots supporter. I have been following their development from day one. For a long time I have been unable to find a party that I feel represents my beliefs and me as a person.
On January 1, 2006, the founder of The Pirate Bay, Rickard Falkvinge, opened a website for people interested in forming a new political party. His goal was to receive as many names as possible in order to form a party that would focus on preserving the immaterial rights and privacies of the individual.
Within 48 hours the site had received 3 million hits. It quickly became clear that The Pirate Party was something many people had been waiting for. It was ready to ask the questions that people like me wanted to see on the agenda in the Swedish parliament as well as the EU. The Pirate Party is often portrayed as being a party of discontent or a ‘one question’ party. I disagree and I feel their campaign agenda and what they stand for is so much more than that.
I strongly feel they will be able to make a difference and will bring a more current and socially relevant view to politics in Europe. Laws such as the recently enacted IPRED-directive” (Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive) which makes it possible for copyright holders to obtain a court order demanding the release of personal information related to users and organisations suspected of copyright infringements as well as IP addresses. The copyright holders will then be able to use the information to bring cases for compensation against the suspected individuals.
I feel this has significantly impacted the basic freedoms of the Swedish people. I strongly believe that had The Pirate Party been present when this law was first being debated there would have been a greater understanding of its impact on individuals and on industry itself.
The internet is an integral part of Swedish society today. The majority of the youth including myself have been instrumental in its growth and its place in our personal and professional lives. This is something I have always been extremely proud of. We are one Europe’s most connected nations.
Swedish politicians have clearly proved to me and many others with their recent actions that they are completely out of touch with today’s society. The Pirate Party has grown immensely recently. Every time issues regarding subjects such as file sharing, personal integrity or when our legal security has been compromised by private interests, The Pirate Party has stood up where others have not, and have been the voice we have needed. I feel this trend is set to continue and I am certain The Pirate Party’s support will continue to grow. The Pirate Party recieved 7.1% of the votes in the election, and will get 1 seat in the European Parliament. If the lissabon treaty goes through, it is possible that they will get a second seat.
In recent weeks in the run up to the elections other parties have begun to take notice of the support The Pirate Party is gaining with their agenda and have started adopting similar policies of their own. However, I feel they lack the understanding and the conviction that The Pirate Party has shown to me and many others in Sweden and across Europe.
I share the beliefs of The Pirate Party. Their goals to preserve our integrity and our security are fundamental issues to me and I feel it is extremely important that they are addressed now. When the Swedish government enacted the IPRED law they gave private interests the right to information that was previously reserved for the police and security services. This information is supposed to protect our rights and our privacy.
Private companies are being handed warrants to search and seize information on anyone they deem to be infringing upon their corporate agendas, such as suspected file sharers who have recently been very publicly targeted by the entertainment industry here in Sweden. File sharing has been an integral part of internet growth in Sweden and has been widely accepted by all as being part of everyday life. I feel the government has been influenced strongly by the private sector in such matters and have neglected the wishes of everyone else. Many people including myself are extremely dissatisfied and we feel we are being marginalised by the politicians and the private sector.
It is time we stood up and stopped allowing the private sector to dictate our politics. I believe The Pirate Party will do everything in the power to achieve this. That is why I joined them. They represent me and they understand my concerns.
Daniel Östlund
Pirate Party member
Pirate party – http://www.piratpartiet.se/
Inside this special issue on European elections 2009: “Vote or let someone else decide for you”
The 6th newsletter of the JMECE Lab (www.jmecelab.com) at the Institute of Communications Studies (University of Leeds) is available online HERE:
Inside this special issue on European elections 2009: “Vote or let someone else decide for you”:
- “What the main party groups in the European Parliament say…” Read their political manifestos
- “European Elections 2009 : A coup de Poker” by George Tassiopoulos, PhD candidate in political science University of East-Paris
- “Think I’m Turning European” by Josef Litobarski, postgraduate student of European and International Studies, University of Trento, Italy
- “Making Europe Work for Women” by Nathalie Henry, ICS PhD candidate, Heidrun Herzogenrath-Amelung, ICS MA student, Pinelopi Troullinou, ICS MA student, Francisco Seoane Perez, ICS PhD candidate
- “The European eParticipation study” by Simon Smith, Research Associate, Institute of Communications Studies
- “Yorkshire MEPs: European politics are politics as normal”
- Book presentation: “Crossroad Europe”: cultural differences in text and images by Bruno van den Elshout, journalist, the Netherlands
JMECE Lab news:
- “Leeds at the Agora of the Women of Europe prizewinners”, Rhodes, April 2009
- “30 May 2009 / Euro elections 2009 Promotional Event: St Mary’s spring fair, Middleton, Leeds”
- “22 May 2009 / Euro elections 2009 JMECE Lab Events: Leeds University Campus & Leeds City Centre”
UK Election Day : 4 June 2009
Over the last five years the European Parliament has taken decisions ranging from major turning points to the routine. Enjoy the highest-profile debates and votes of 2004-2009.
Source: European Parliament
Over the last five years the European Parliament has taken decisions ranging from major turning points to the routine; Parliament has held debates on essential political issues of the day and on highly complex technical matters; there have been very close votes and others with an overwhelming majority. In this site the institution presents the “Top Stories”, the highest-profile debates and votes of 2004-2009. Each item traces a decision taken in Parliament and explains its implications.
TOPICS:
1. REACH: reducing chemical risks without penalising industry - Ambitious legislation on chemicals, placing the onus on industry to show that its products are safe, was passed by Parliament in December 2006. The “REACH” (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of CHemicals) regulation requires the registration of some 30 000 of the 100 000 chemical substances on the market. The legislation aims to increase the safety of chemical products and promote alternatives to animal testing, while enhancing competitiveness and facilitating trade. When it entered into force in June 2007, it replaced some 40 previous laws.
2. CIA activities in Europe: European Parliament denounces secretiveness of some Member States - Over one thousand CIA flights used European airspace and secret detention facilities may have been located at US military bases in Europe, according to the European Parliament’s Temporary Committee on CIA activities. Its final report, adopted in 2007, deplores the passivity of some Member States in the face of illegal CIA operations and also the Council’s lack of cooperation.
3. Liberalising services without touching the European social model: mission accomplished for the EP – As from the end of 2009, service providers – from travel agents to office maintenance staff – will be able to pursue their occupation anywhere in the EU thanks to the entry into force of one of the most important texts dealt with by the European Parliament over the past few years. The ‘Services Directive’, proposed by Commissioner Bolkestein in 2004, had aroused deep concern throughout the EU until it was completely rewritten by the EP, ultimately achieving an acceptable result.
4. EU-wide rail services: more choice and clearer rights for passengers – From January 2010, train passengers travelling from one EU country to another can expect to see more rail companies competing on these international connections. In September 2007, the European Parliament adopted legislation to enable Europe’s railway companies to compete across borders, to guarantee basic passenger rights and to ensure that train drivers are fully qualified.
5. When Parliament rejects… – The European Parliament can go further than amending proposed laws with which it finds fault. If a proposal is completely unacceptable and there is no prospect of making satisfactory improvements, it can be thrown out altogether. In 2004-2009, for example, Parliament rejected outright two important legislative proposals: the so-called “software patents directive” and plans to liberalise port services.
6. Roaming: Parliament cuts cost of using mobile phones abroad - The European Parliament has cut the cost of making and receiving mobile telephone calls, sending text messages and mobile internet surfing while travelling abroad in the EU, for at least 140 million users. In May 2007 MEPs backed by an overwhelming majority a first-reading compromise agreement, obtained by Parliament after tough negotiations with the Council, which put price caps on charges for using a mobile phone while abroad – otherwise known as mobile “roaming”. The new law came into force on 30 June 2007.
7. All-inclusive air fares – As of 1 November 2008, air travellers can be certain that the price they are quoted for a plane ticket will be the price that they actually need to pay. Thanks to an EU regulation amended by Parliament in July 2008, air fares as displayed on internet sites and elsewhere must include all taxes, fees and charges added to the basic ticket price and known at the time of publication.
8. Illegal immigration: European Parliament lays down common standards on expulsion - By adopting the ‘return’ Directive in June 2008 the European Parliament took a major step towards a European immigration policy. The Directive, which will apply with effect from 2011, encourages the voluntary return of illegal immigrants and lays down minimum standards for detention periods and re-entry bans. It also provides a number of legal safeguards and allows the Member States to apply more generous rules.
9. Towards more transparency : a reformed Parliament from 2009 - Reforms to make European Parliament elections, working methods and pay easier for citizens to understand are being made ahead of the June 2009 elections. European political parties will get new EU campaign funding, common rules will put an end to wide national disparities in MEPs’ pay, and lobbyists’ access to MEPs is to be made subject to new requirements, such as financial disclosure and being listed in a mandatory public register.
10. Climate change: wide-ranging EU measures to fight global warming – The world’s first comprehensive set of measures to limit global warming was adopted by the EU in December 2008, when new EU climate and energy laws to cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars, industrial installations and power plants and to promote renewable energies were amended and approved by MEPs.
11. Working time: 48 hours a week maximum - The 48-hour average working week must stay, so as not to compromise workeer health and safety. MEPs want to put an end to so-called “opt-out” exceptions to this rule, in contrast to the Council of Ministers. They also consider that on-call time should be treated as working time, in line with Court of Justice judgments. After Parliament and the Council failed to reach an agreement on these two points, the 1993 directive, as amended in 2003, remains in force.
Download the full report here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=IM-PRESS&reference=20090120TMN46722&language=EN&format=PDF
About the author : Emily Robinson is Research and Publications Officer at Unlock Democracy and has previously worked at the New Local Government Network and the Institute for Public Policy Research. Her publications include My Election: A Voters’ Eye View of the 2007 Scottish Elections (with Patrick Casey, Unlock Democracy, forthcoming); General Election 2005: What the Voters Saw (with Justin Fisher, New Politics Network, 2005); Living with Regions: Making Multi-level Governance Work (NLGN, 2004) and The Benefits of Community Engagement (with Ben Rogers, ippr/Home Office, 2004). Emily is also the series editor of New Politics, Unlock Democracy’s regular discussion paper.
Source: UnlockDemocracy.org [edited]
Author: Emily Robinson
British Citizens and the European Union : Findings from a deliberative process
Britain’s relationship with the European Union excites a great deal of emotion. It is a staple of the tabloid press and one of the few political topics that is regularly discussed in pubs and offices. However, this does not necessarily mean that we know much about the EU or how it works.
British citizens are less confident that they know about the EU’s policies and institutions than the people in any other member state, except Hungary. In a Eurobarometer poll conducted in Autumn 2005, only 46% of British respondents were aware of the UK’s Presidency of the EU and MORI research found that 82% of those
polled do not feel they have enough information to make an informed decision on whether or not to adopt the Constitutional Treaty.
Lack of knowledge leaves us vulnerable to misinformation and myth-creation. This is worrying, not only because it leads to frustration and alienation but also because political parties shape their policies on Europe according to what they believe the public will accept. If the public do not have enough information to engage in a serious debate about the future of the European Union and our relationship to it, then it is likely that our policies will be unsound.
This project was designed to gauge informed public opinion on Europe. We wanted to find out what citizens would think when all the information had been presented to them.
…
The [research] highlighted a sense of unease about the way that the European Union is governed. Even the most Europhilic panellists complained about a lack of democracy, transparency and accountability.
The panellists felt very strongly that, as the only directly elected body, the European Parliament should be at the centre of European decision making. It was also suggested that the Commission should be made in some way accountable to the Parliament. Important steps to enhance the transparency and accountability of European procedures could be taken at the national level. For instance, it was suggested that British members of the Council of Ministers should have to report back to Parliament and that the House of Commons Select Committee on Europe should meet in public. We think these are both important proposals, which would place Europe more clearly in our existing democratic framework and create a new layer of accountability.
Another problem identified by many of the panellists was a lack of reliable accessible information about the EU and its activities. This was seen to be partly a problem with the information made available by the European institutions, but also the result of a lack of media interest in the workings of the EU. It was suggested that the broadcast and print media should cover the European Parliament in the same way as Westminster.
Download the full report here: http://www.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/british-citizens-and-the-european-union.pdf
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