Thursday Briefing - Political Blog » EP Elections

The Voting System Made Easy

Tom — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:28:40 +0000

Of course the voting system is really very simple: you just vote for the Green Party. Nevertheless the North West Greens have made a short video explaining why, just in case it wasn’t obvious.

via North West Green Party

Think Again, Vote Green

Tom — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:18:33 +0000

Now I know all of the readers of this blog will either be green voters or will be misguided souls who have their votes otherwise committed, but the party election broadcast for the EP elections next month is amazing. Whoever is making these videos, well done!

Link: A Scottish Look at the European Parliament Elections

Tom — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:30:15 +0000

SNP Tactical Voting has posted an interesting guide to the EP elections from a Scottish perspective, which is well worth reading. It’s always nice to see someone in the normal political world writing about Europe.

Meanwhile in Flanders…

Tom — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:02:23 +0000

Why on earth does nationalism have to be so stupid at times?! Some municipalities in Flanders have decided not to hold the European Parliamentary elections this year, unless an issue over the number of Wallonian and Flemish voters in the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde constituency is resolved. Only in Belgium could this happen! A petty local inability for two communities to live side-by-side, blocking European citizens from choosing who to represent them in a Parliament which has almost nothing to do with the perpetual break-up of Belgium.

I should stop the rant just now though, and compose myself. I can’t see how the refusal to hold the elections could really continue. One mayor claimed that:

“My council has passed a motion stating that we cannot organise the European elections because the Belgian constitution is not followed in this region,”

Well if they must pursue their policy of thoroughly dividing the country, then they probably do have a justified argument with the federal government, but surely that doesn’t release them from the constitution?

Wouldn’t it be lovely if sense could prevail, and people could just live happily, side-by-side without divisive nationalism?