Most EU states vote in European Parliament election

[tovaris]

Voters in most EU countries are going to the polls in the fourth and final day of
European elections.


Germany, France, Poland, Slovenia and Spain are among the 21 countries voting for members of
the European Parliament. Elections have already taken place in seven EU member states, including the UK, the
Netherlands, Latvia and Malta. Results will be announced after the last poll closes at
21:00 GMT. The parliament's powers have expanded since the last election in 2009. MEPs now negotiate legislation with national government ministers in what is called "co-
decision", before parliament votes on the laws. They have a say on budget areas including agriculture and regional aid. Greece, which had to be bailed out by the EU and other lenders over its debts, was one of
the first countries to open polling stations on Sunday. Voting is compulsory in Greece, where there is widespread resentment at the austerity
enforced as a condition for the bailout.
In Belgium, voters are also choosing a new national government. The last election left
the country which hosts the EU capital, Brussels, without a government for 18 months,
until a three-party coalition could be put together. Croatians are voting in their second EU election in just over a year. Croatia held early
elections in April 2013, in anticipation of joining the EU on 1 July. The 751 seats are allocated in proportion to each country's population. The vote will affect the lives of the EU's 500 million citizens, and the chamber has much
more power than it used to. It is a co-legislator, with government ministers from the EU's 28 member-states, in most
policy areas. One of the first tasks of the incoming parliament will be to elect a new president of the
European Commission, the EU's executive body.

m.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27559714

[Vlerchan]

Euroskeptics (read: the Far-Right and in many places the Far-Left) look to do well in this one.

How would you be voting, maticek, being one of the Far-Left and all?: pro- or anti-EU?

[tovaris]

Euroskeptics (read: the Far-Right and in many places the Far-Left) look to do well in this one.

How would you be voting, maticek, being one of the Far-Left and all?: pro- or anti-EU?

im not 18 yet so i cant vote,
but i would probably vote IDS (www.demokraticni-socializem.si/) joined with other parties into European Left

[Living For Love]

Good news are Far-Right parties won in Austria, Denmark and France.

[tovaris]

Good news are Far-Right parties won in Austria, Denmark and France.

and in slovenia as whel, the far right SDS (member of EPP) has von

[Vlerchan]

del.

[Exocet]

In our country.

The FN (Front National) won.

Estimates (20h)

http://www.leparisien.fr/images/2014/05/25/3870447_20heures_625x390.png?r=28

[tovaris]

In our country.

The FN (Front National) won.
Good news.

image (http://www.leparisien.fr/images/2014/05/25/3870447_20heures_625x390.png?r=28)

gauche ou droit?

[Exocet]

gauche ou droit?


Far-right (extrême droite)

[Vlerchan]

FN still aren't going to be able to get a word in, because the pro-European center still looks to hold.

So.

[tovaris]

curent count in Slovenia http://www.volitve.gov.si/ep2014/

[Living For Love]

FN still aren't going to be able to get a word in, because the pro-European center still looks to hold.

So.

There's still a long way to go so that far-right parties manage to have a crucial decision in the European Parliament, but I think this elections, and this results, should make our European politicians think a bit about what they're actually doing with Europe.

[Vlerchan]

[...]should make our European politicians think a bit about what they're actually doing with Europe.
I don't expect the centre-right to stop making decisions usual to the centre-right.

Out of interest, what do you believe the new Eurocrats should do, assuming it's possible for them to do it?

[Living For Love]

I don't expect the centre-right to stop making decisions usual to the centre-right.

Precisely, that's the problem here.

Out of interest, what do you believe the new Eurocrats should do, assuming it's possible for them to do it?

Being more active in the world affairs, more job opportunities for young people, being more assertive as far as protecting the European identities is concerned, being less subservient to other organisations, basically, being more European and more United.

[Vlerchan]

Being more active in the world affairs[1], more job opportunities for young people[2], being more assertive as far as protecting the European identities is concerned[3], being less subservient to other organisations[4], basically, being more European and more United[5].
I agree with all of this. Individual analysis:

[1]: I believe that the EU needs to decide on a common foreign policy to pursue. This necessitates the formation of an EU armed-forces.

[2]: It doesn't currently have the power to do this: it's up to national governments. At best it can offer a bigger loan than the bailouts already received.

[3]: I agree that the EU should take a pro-multiculturalist stance in regards to cultural issues. European cultures don't differ enough for it to bother integration.

[4]: Whilst I agree that this should happen, I doubt it's going to happen: influential lobby groups are always going to exist within capatalist representative-democracy, and without a massive structural change - which isn't going to happen - will continue to exist within the EU.

[Harry Smith]

UKIP managed to win in the UK, looks like the Earthquake that Nigel Farage promised has started to emerge

[Vlerchan]

UKIP managed to win in the UK, looks like the Earthquake that Nigel Farage promised has started to emerge
In terms of EU policy (and most other policy - lets be honest) Lib-Lab-Con are just three wings of the same party: the UK still voted overwhelmingly pro-Europe.

[Harry Smith]

In terms of EU policy (and most other policy - lets be honest) Lib-Lab-Con are just three wings of the same party: the UK still voted overwhelmingly pro-Europe.

Yeah pretty much-saying that the Lib dem's who were the only Pro-Europeon party came fifth-however that's probably due to the fact that they have one of the most unpopular leaders in the country

[Vlerchan]

Yeah pretty much-saying that the Lib dem's who were the only Pro-Europeon party came fifth-however that's probably due to the fact that they have one of the most unpopular leaders in the country
And broke literally every single promise they made pre-general election. Not that I say the Lib-Dems had much of a choice - Junior members, and all.

On the EU elections: anyone surprised by the low turnout across Europe?:

http://img.welt.de/img/ausland/crop128423592/8498725191-ci3x2l-w620/DWO-IP-EU-Wahlbeteiligung2014-3x2-2-.jpg

[Harry Smith]

And broke literally every single promise they made pre-general election. Not that I say the Lib-Dems had much of a choice - Junior members, and all.

On the EU elections: anyone surprised by the low turnout across Europe?:

image (http://img.welt.de/img/ausland/crop128423592/8498725191-ci3x2l-w620/DWO-IP-EU-Wahlbeteiligung2014-3x2-2-.jpg)

Not really-people only vote if they feel strongly. The reason why it was higher in the UK was because you had council elections on the same day. People don't really understand/care about the EU so they don't turn up to vote

[sqishy]

At least the EU elite know that a lof of us lower down are not happy with what's going on

[tovaris]

And broke literally every single promise they made pre-general election. Not that I say the Lib-Dems had much of a choice - Junior members, and all.

On the EU elections: anyone surprised by the low turnout across Europe?:

image (http://img.welt.de/img/ausland/crop128423592/8498725191-ci3x2l-w620/DWO-IP-EU-Wahlbeteiligung2014-3x2-2-.jpg)

nop low turnout is traditional for EU election, also the underrepresented left is traditional for eu elections
but we have had referendums vith lower turnout (4%)