2009 European elections

Barroso’s re-election and new political balances

“I am confident in the vote. We’ve got very strong support at the heart of the European Parliament. Five years ago we also got their support and I don’t see why we shouldn’t have it again. Moreover, there’s the unanimous backing of heads of state and governments who represent all the main political (...)

Sunday 6 September 2009

Socialist stumble, right-wing rise in the 2009 EP elections

The recent loss of more than 50 MEPs in the European Parliament (EP) by the Party of European Socialists (PES) to far-right and radical parties has been dubbed by the PES leader Martin Schulz as a “bitter evening for social democracy.” Nevertheless, there were concerns even before the election, (...)

Saturday 18 July 2009

Sarkozy’s unheralded coup de foudre in European Parliament elections

In the rough tide that is French politics, Nicolas Sarkozy never fails to impress. His recent triumph in the European Parliament elections caused further unsettlement amongst the public, as many are those that feel as if they’ve been stepped on by the French President’s ‘erratic’ behaviour and (...)

Sunday 12 July 2009

Labour’s Greatest Defeat since World War II

Labour suffered its worst post-war election result as it gained just 15.3% of the vote, even worse than party bosses had feared, and was beaten into third place by UKIP and the Conservative Party. Labour also suffered a historic defeat in the recent local elections. Voter apathy was reflected (...)

Wednesday 8 July 2009

Collapse of the socialist at the European elections: let’s draw the lessons from this defeat

With 22% of seats (a 5,6% decline compared to 2004), a stable right and a breakthrough of the extreme-right, this is a real wake-up call for the socialists throughout Europe. Even more so since their position as the main opposition force in the majority of member states and the bad handling of (...)

Monday 29 June 2009

The mess of electoral campaigning in Malta

Electoral Campaigning in Malta has ever been marred by ultra-partisan politics, mainly between the two major political parties; the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party. Malta’s semi-violent political past has practically forced the people to assume a fanatical position regarding national (...)

Saturday 20 June 2009

Why voting for a Parliament without voting for a European government?

The election for the European Parliament reveals a double deficit of the European Union: a democratic deficit and a governance deficit. Citizens vote willingly for national elections because they can choose not only their political party but also who governs the country. At the European level (...)

Sunday 14 June 2009

It’s time for change, it’s time for Europe!

The European Parliament election of 1979 was a sign of hope for democracy. Over the subsequent three decades, the Parliament has increased its powers with every reform of the EU treaties. But the elections to be held on 4-7 June will be national elections co-ordinated on a European basis. The (...)

Friday 12 June 2009

European Elections: 42,94% of hopes are still alive…!

Elections for the European Parliament took place from the 4th until the 7th of June in the twenty-seven member-states of the European Union. European Parliament “is the world’s only directly elected transnational and multilingual parliament and the EU’s only directly elected institution”. As a (...)

Tuesday 9 June 2009

The Purpose and Duty of the European party-led Parliamentary Elections

A knowledgeable audience that is willing to assess the election programmes critically, will likely succeed in distinguishing the crucial points of difference and defaults through comparison, upon which they decide which ‘set’ of policy perspectives takes precedence for them. Though voters hardly (...)

Monday 8 June 2009

To vote or not to vote – that’s the question…

…at least if you look at the disastrous low turnout predictions for the European Parliament elections. Lets look at the elections more bluntly and determine if to vote or not to vote by asking ourselves 3 metaphysical questions: Question 1: Is there a European Parliament? The EP has gained (...)

Saturday 6 June 2009

European Elections: Numbers reveal the problem

Since 1979, when the first elections for the European Parliament took place, the turnout has been constantly dropping. Numbers say the whole truth: in 1979, 63% of the European voters participated in elections, in 1984 the percentage dropped by 2%, five years later the turnout was 2,5% less, as (...)

Thursday 4 June 2009
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