European elections

[Guest]

Yesterday I recevied my voting pass for the upcoming elections of the European parliament (EP). What are you going to vote (if you're European) or would you vote (if you're not European)? I have listed the major blocks in the EP in the poll above. Also, do you think the EU is generally a good idea, or do you think it isn't?

[Brutland and Norden]

There are also discussions about this on the two NSGs. Somebody put up a link to this <a class='bbc_url' href='http://euprofiler.eu/'>quiz</a> there.

Apparently I'm closer to the Christian Democratic parties of Eastern Europe on the issues; while closest to a Latvian conservative party on their graph (one axis is socioeconomic left/right, the other pro-/anti EU integration). The leftists will be happy I'm not European.

I know that European elections are always plagued by dismal turnout (heck, most elections in 'developed' countries suffer from poor turnout). That's just sad.

[Guest]

Thanks for the link. Of the Dutch parties I got closest to GroenLinks, which I more or less decided to vote for already. Funnily, on a Dutch vote selector I got another party up top

[Kevin]

Conservative, the Labour has put out to the people to much of a mess these past years, i think the Tories deserve to return, hopefully they've learnt there lesson though from Maggie thatcher times.

[Caer Rialis]

I'd vote Labor because, quite frankly, the Conservatives haven't learned anything.

[Kevin]

I'd vote Labor because, quite frankly, the Conservatives haven't learned anything.

You think the Labour party has? You be quite clearly mad to vote Labour back in for the next term, be it on your head, the UK (RL) is doing downhill faster than this crisis started. Gordon Brown & Parliament doesn't want to help the people, they want the people's money and then sit there on there fat asses and do nothing.

[Caer Rialis]

[quote name="Santa8"] [quote name='"Caer Rialis"] I'd vote Labor because' date=' quite frankly, the Conservatives haven't learned anything. [/quote']

You think the Labour party has? You be quite clearly mad to vote Labour back in for the next term, be it on your head, the UK (RL) is doing downhill faster than this crisis started. Gordon Brown & Parliament doesn't want to help the people, they want the people's money and then sit there on there fat asses and do nothing. [/quote]

Actually Santa, being from the US, I couldn't have voted in Parliamentarian elections anyway. I said I would vote Labor, if given the opportunity.



You see, maybe it's just my jaded sense of things, but I don't see the Conservatives in Britain as having learned a thing in the last 20 years. They are still a party, like the Republcians in the US, who have these pollyanna dreams of Reaganism, which has devastated the middle class to promote a corporatist system which profits no one but Big Business.

[Guest]

Conservative, the Labour has put out to the people to much of a mess these past years, i think the Tories deserve to return, hopefully they've learnt there lesson though from Maggie thatcher times.

So basically you're saying both parties screwed up and it's time to exchange one bad choice for another?

[Caer Rialis]

Well, for some reason the GReat Elder Gods Party doesn't have a slate so people do have to settle for the lesser of two evils

[kloister]

Well started off sceptical as to what being a member of the EU could do for the United Kingdom and what the United Kngdom could do for Europe...In both cases I think we are found to be wanting...I am usually an advocate of playing your part to make an impact and improve things, but in this case I think we are too far gone for that...The EU appears to be so bogged down in beurocracy and red tape, being ineffectual in the not only the policies that are made but how they are implemented/enforced...Then there is the question about how much money the EU has to play with...I have seen it quoted that the United Kingdom puts ?40 million pounds per day into the Brussels coffers and I don't see anything to evidence that this is value for money...It's not that I am at all against what a true united Europe should be about, its just that the way it has degenerated cause me to believe that it is beyond saving...Pull out, start again, but based around trade etc and not around central policies where 75% of the laws in the UK now are made in Brussels...That is not how I want my country to be governed...On that basis, even though I have both feet firmly planted into the Liberal Democrat camp when it comes to national politics, unfortunately I cannot bring myself to share their mainly pro-European policies...I have therefore decided that the best option for me is to vote for the UK Independance Party in the forthcoming European elections...We also have local council elections where I will remain loyal to the Lib Dem candidates as locally they offer me the best level of public service out of all the main parties...

[mavenu]

<a class='bbc_url' href='http://i.gizmodo.com/5282239/swedish-pirate-party-wins-a-seat-in-the-european-union'>hm.... (link)</a>

It appears that the Swedish Pirate Party?Piratpartiet?has got a seat in the European Union parlament. The ballots are still being counted?almost done now?but with 7.1% of the votes, it's a sure thing.

<a class='bbc_url' href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piratpartiet'>Piratpartiet Wiki english link</a>