|
quote:UPDATE WELCOME TO THE THUNDERDOME I thought the EU was run by As always, the answer to anything to do with EU politics is yes and no: While the European Commission (them of the cucumbers*) does function as the executive arm (and is the only body that can initiate new legislation), the European Parliament functions like any other Parliament and checks, amends, and finally approves any directives etc. coming out of the European Union. Of course, this happens in consultation with the EC and Council in rounds called trilogues, which are black-box voodoo machines where directives go in and come out in drag. Does the Parliament actually matter? Depends on who you ask But mostly the answer is YES. Since the Lisbon Treaty there’s been a lot more power granted to the Parliament. The big one is co-decision; the Parliament now cannot be ignored as a full legislative partners. Before this, it was the Council who actually decided and, while it was nice to have the EP along, it did not really need it at the end of the day. Here’s the co-decision model after the Lisbon Treaty: Since the Lisbon Treaty, the Parliament has become steadily more influential Is that a good thing? Who knows. For the most part, yes, but the problem resides in that the full (751 member) plenary must in the end decide on what are often complicated matters, and has the tendency to act like an enraged elephant, tacking on items and issues that may needlessly complicate the job of the European Commission and member states to do their job. Ok, ok, so they’re important. I get it. So why are these elections so special? I’m not gonna vote anyway because Because they do matter. An incredible amount of legislation, directives etc that are formulated in Brussels end up in your lap. How about unemployment and the Eurocrisis? Does that affect you? Well, then look closely at the new COM-INCON and COM-CONT (the two parliamentary committees for internal market and budget control) – the boys and girls on these two will have a big impact. Like the environment? Flowers? Butterflies and honeybees? Well, COM-ENVI and COM-AGRI are the place for you. There’s a good chance that an environmental rights supporter will end up in charge of COM-ENVI, and who knows what she will push through her Committee towards the plenary session. Like your internet free of spies Ok, ok, ok. So who’s running? Candidates are elected at the national level, so there are 28 member states electing 750 MEPs altogether; the breakdown of which country gets how many is roughly by population. Germany gets to elect 96, but tiny Malta gets only 5 for example. Every Member State gets to choose how to elect their MEPs; the UK, for example, does it by region, but other do it through a national list While it’s too exhausting to go through it country-by-country, there are happily seven major parliamentary groups. These basically assembly parties from different countries with a similar political view; Christian-democrat, liberal, green, socialist etc. The current groups are, with numbers of seats in the Parliament:
What’s new this year? – The selection of the Commission President! Under the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament will now have a large role in determining who will become the new president after Barroso steps down this year: the European Parliament shall elect the president of the European Commission on the basis of a proposal made by the European Council, taking into account the European elections (article 17, paragraph 7 of the Treaty on European Union). The tricky thing, of course, being that bit saying “on the basis of a proposal made by the European Council”, which can be taken to mean that any candidates proposed by the main factions need to be liked and/or endorsed by the Council. However, this would be a pretty blatant disregard for popular will and would infuriate the whole of Parliament. The President of the European Commission has a huge role in choosing the various Commissioners (all 28 of them, one for each EU member State), who will then give direction and strategy to their whole Directorate-Generals. Commissioners are, or at least can be, real powerhouses in EU policy, so whoever gets to select them is a big loving deal. So who have those blocks put forward?
SERIOUSLY, GO OUT AND VOTE. THIS MATTERS. I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU PERSONALLY BELIEVE Really, it looks like attendance will be at an all-time low and that is A BAD THING. Stuff that happens is Brussels and Strasbourg matters hugely in your Member State, and with the EU-US trade negotiations underway it's even important to 'Muricans and the rest of the world. *Note that the cucumber story is FALSE. If anything, it was the industry who wanted grading and standards in order to facilitate trading and knowing how many you can stuff into one box. Junior G-man fucked around with this message at 12:22 on Apr 30, 2015 |
# ? Apr 11, 2014 12:20 |
|
|
# ? Apr 19, 2024 17:04 |
|
Reserved for polls and projections. quote:Latest polling data from the European Parliament's own polling centre - CURRENT TO 20/05/2014 Here is an interesting projection of what the fallout of current polling could look like in the next EP. Written by the Burston Marsteller group of lobbyists, but I find it to be quite a good analysis anyway. This is well worth grabbing at the link, because they've hyperlinked it to bits there. quote:Six months away from the European Parliament elections, the first serious set of predictions are being made. Junior G-man fucked around with this message at 15:04 on May 20, 2014 |
# ? Apr 11, 2014 12:20 |
|
One of the big worries/issues of the elections will be the advance of Eurosceptic / anti-EU groups like the UK's UKIP, Dutch PVV (Geert Wilders), and France's Front National (Marine le Pen). Here's a good piece on what's up with that: Euronews posted:How the European elections could redesign the Eurosceptic landscape So good news/bad news; they will probably have a significant voice, but for them to try to form (and hold together!) a political group for 4 years seems a ridiculous challenge. I personally cannot imagine having people like Bossi, Farage, le Pen, and Wilders in one room longer than 15 minutes before they start bickering like mad.
|
# ? Apr 11, 2014 13:27 |
|
Going to vote for the Left Front and despair when looking at the actual results
|
# ? Apr 11, 2014 15:14 |
|
Kurtofan posted:Going to vote for the Left Front and despair when looking at the actual results Not necessarily; there's a lot to be said for finding the right national candidate, rather than the right party. Individual MEPs can make a huge difference if they're smart and willing to work for it. I might post something about that later.
|
# ? Apr 11, 2014 15:20 |
|
Can you explain the difference between a European political party and the parliamentary groups? Like, Labour is in the "Party of European Socialists" but their parliamentary group is the PAS&D. Are they the same thing with different names?
|
# ? Apr 12, 2014 00:27 |
|
Badger of Basra posted:Can you explain the difference between a European political party and the parliamentary groups? Like, Labour is in the "Party of European Socialists" but their parliamentary group is the PAS&D. Are they the same thing with different names? The euro-parliament groups are coalitions of Euro-Parties and independent MP's, or national parties that aren't part of an Euro-Party. In the case of the Party of European Socialists(The European wing of the Socialist International). PES used to have it's own euro-parliament group called The Socialist Group(or something), after '09 three non-PES parties joined( the Italian Democrat Party, the Greek Democrat Party, and the Cyprus Democrat Party) so the name changed to accommodate(Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats). Another example, the Party of the European Left(PEL) is part of the euro-parliament group of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left(GUE/NGL). The GUE/NGL is compromised of the PEL and the European Anti-Capitalist Party(EACL). You will find common national parties in both. The Portuguese Left Bloc has members in the PEL and the EACL. Individual MP's also have a lot more freedom than they have inside national politics. National parties might campaign as a single unit, but when the elections are done, their MP's all go their separate ways, or even declare themselves independent MP's. Like the case of Rui Tavares who was elected on the Portuguese Left Bloc ticket in '09 and promptly went rogue, and joined as an independent in the European Greens–European Free Alliance, which is an euro-parliament group composed of the euro-parties European Green Party and European Free Alliance. It's a brand and "politics" issue, really. The idea is to make all the disparate, and often contradictory national politics and ideologies, to reach some form of compromise and agreement with each other on the euro stage. It also gives more power and gives better representation to parties in the parliament floor. I think that only the European People's Party is the same thing as it's euro-parliament group wing. Brussels zoo is putting it lightly. Electronico6 fucked around with this message at 11:24 on Apr 12, 2014 |
# ? Apr 12, 2014 11:14 |
|
That is a great OP thank you. I'll be voting because I never miss a chance to do so. Currently my UK region is represented by an actual fascist, among others, so that's great. He probably won't win reelection but, while I haven't seen any regional polling, it's a safe bet he'll be replaced by a UKIP. I'll be voting straight ticket Green if I can, holding my nose for labour if the Greens aren't fielding enough candidates. Thanks to this thread I'm now going to research who is standing in my region.
|
# ? Apr 12, 2014 14:49 |
|
Current Finnish situation: Total number of MEPs: 13. Way of electing: All of country is one district and the MEPs, like in pretty much all other Finnish elections (except President), are chosen on totally open lists - you vote for a candidate, all the candidate votes for each party are pooled together to determine the party vote and the number of individual votes each candidate gets determines their place on the list. As a result, you can never be completely sure who gets elected before the election happens. Latest poll: http://yle.fi/uutiset/keskustan_eurovaalikannatus_romahti/7146965 PARTIES: National Coalition, KOK (EPP). Current number of MEPs 3, the number of MEPs if the latest poll holds 4. Used to be a conservative party, now mostly neoliberal. Loves EU like a child loves cake. Finland's ruling party. Current MEPs are notorious environment-hater and barf-bag collector Eija-Riitta Korhola, all-around shithead Petri Sarvamaa and social-liberal Sirpa Pietikäinen who is actually not a bad politician in many ways and what is she doing in this horrible party anyway? All of them are also running this time around, though at least one of them is probably bound to be replaced by federalist super-squirrel Alexander Stubb or regional policy minister Henna Virkkunen who is angling to get into Brussels after her flagship municipal reform project failed. Centre, KESK (ALDE). Current number of MEPs 3, the number of MEPs if the latest poll holds 3. Centrist party whose main agenda is subsidising agriculture and sparsely-populated areas. Makes perfect sense that they're in agricultural-subsidy-hating ALDE, doesn't it? Finland's smaller and less crazy opposition party. Current MEPs are relatively non-offensive (on Centre scale) former PM Anneli Jäätteenmäki, Riikka Pakarinen who has spent a large part of her MEP time on maternal leave, and awful fundamentalist Hannu Takkula. Jäätteenmäki and Takkula are running again, as are austerity king Olli Rehn, notoriously euroskeptic long-time politician Paavo Väyrynen and Mikael Pentikäinen, a right-wing former editor-in-chief of Helsingin Sanomat, Finland's biggest newspaper. Having one of the best-known euroskeptics in Finland (Väyrynen) running at the same time as one of the best-known euro-enthusiasts (Rehn) has of course provided unending hilarity as Centre tries to pretend these guys are not all that far apart from each other really. The Finns, PS (EFD). Current number of MEPs 1, the number of MEPs if the latest poll holds 2. A TOTALLY NOT RACIST populist party that is also euroskeptic, expect they don't even bother demanding that Finland quits EU or the Eurozone because obviously they are going to fall any moment now anyway. Finland's larger and crazier opposition party. Current MEP is slick nationalist Sampo Terho, other possibilities are Pirkko Ruohonen-Lerner whose job (as the former leader of TF parliamentary group) was trying to explain all the stupid poo poo all their other MPs did, Finland's chief NOT-RACIST "immigration critic" Jussi Halla-aho and former Christian Democrats leader Toimi Kankaanniemi. Incidentally, if EFD breaks up, TFs have said they won't be joining Le Pen/Wilders group, though Halla-aho has flirted with the idea to some degree. TF leader Timo Soini actually called Wilders a closet homosexual in his recent new book, lmao Social Democrats, SDP (SD). Current number of MEPs 2, the number of MEPs if the latest poll holds 2. Typical third-wayite social democrats. The current number 2 party in the Finnish government. Current MEPs are Liisa Jaakonsaari, a rather boilerplate Social Democrat apart from her total love for NATO, and embarrassing celebrity priest Mitro Repo. Social Democrats haven't announced a full list yet so we don't know who all are competing, but at least the Blairite lizard Mikael Jungner, the only man in Finland without an ideological Social-Democratic bone in his body, is going to be a strong contender. Greens, VIHR (EG/EFA). Current number of MEPs 2, the number of MEPs if the latest poll holds 1. One of the most realo Green parties in Europe, often more interested in social liberalism than those dreary old environment-related things. A minor party in the Finnish government. Current MEPs are centrist Tarja Cronberg and former Stalinist Satu Hassi who has actually achieved some pretty good things for the environment in the EP and is thus hated by all the good and proper car-driving meat-eating newspaper comment section paragons with the hatred of a thousand nuclear plants. Hassi is not running and there's going to be a pretty tough contest for their (probably) single seat, including Putin-hating former MEP Heidi Hautala, slick liberal Oras Tynkkynen, former party leader Anni Sinnemäki, nerd icon Jyrki Kasvi and Outi Alanko-Kahiluoto, a representative of the party's left wing (such as one might say there is one...) Left Alliance, VAS (GUE/NGL) Current number of MEPs 0, the number of MEPs if the latest poll holds 1. Finland's (relatively moderate, all things considering) far-left party. Used to be a minor party in the Finnish government because in Finland there's nothing strange about a former communist party sitting in government with EPP neoliberals, resigned from the government a few weeks ago. Currently is the only parliamentary party without a MEP, because the crusty old ex-communists who make up a large part of Left Alliance's electorate ain't gonna vote in no capitalist EU elections. Contenders for the probable MEP place include moderate former Transportation Minister Merja Kyllönen, parliamentary group leader and notorious army-hater Annika Lapintie, environmentalist celebrity MP Silvia Modig and Left Youth leader Li Andersson, who I'm personally campaigning for and will be voting. Swedish People's Party, SFP/RKP (ALDE). Current number of MEPs 1, the number of MEPs if the latest poll holds 0. Unlike Centre, SFP is actually reliably liberal, but all their other agendas pale when it comes to the most important one, getting as much goodies for Finland's Swedish-speaking minority as possible. A minor party in the Finnish government, as they always are. Their current MEP is Nils Torvalds, father of Linus Torvalds. If they manage to get a MEP, an obvious contender is Jörn Donner, celebrity film director and one of the most easily imitable people in Finland. Christian Democrats, KD (EPP). Current number of MEPs 1, the number of MEPs if the latest poll holds 0. Love Jesus and don't love gays or abortions all that much, though even Jesus couldn't probably save their EP seat. A minor party in the Finnish government. Current MEP is former speedwalking champion Sari Essayah, the other main contender (if they manage to get a seat) is party leader and Internal Affairs Minister Päivi Räsänen, the only other Christian Democrat politician left that anyone even knows. Pirate Party, Communist Party, Change 2011, Independence Party and Blue-White Front are also competing. They don't have a chance in hell. Stefu fucked around with this message at 09:48 on Apr 13, 2014 |
# ? Apr 12, 2014 22:41 |
|
Virtually all groups besides the Green and Left alliance believe in austerity and only show concern about austerity because it's not giving economic growth, not because of actual social consequences and the Green and Left groups are mostly useless and believe they can work side by side with the major financial institutions of Europe to crate socialism. All neoliberal parties will pressure their militants to go vote for their favorite alliances, which they allways do, to create a parliament of privatizing lunatics who even consider sexual education to be propaganda to turn children into gay abortionists. Since people are disillusioned with their lives and national politics, much less European politics, this means they will allways win the elections no matter what. gently caress this parliament charade, if a national parliament is already composed of a healthy dose of idiocy and corruption i'm sure the solution is an exterior parliament with even wealthier idiots that play pretend politics. I'll be not giving a single gently caress about these elections but i guess it's good for a thread about it to exist. The Left Bloc and CDU's picks are quite good, intelligent people so i'm sure they'd do a great work if they were sent to a place that actually mattered
|
# ? Apr 14, 2014 06:21 |
|
Stefu posted:Stuff about Finland That's really interesting, thank you! Mans posted:Virtually all groups besides the Green and Left alliance believe in austerity and only show concern about austerity because it's not giving economic growth, not because of actual social consequences and the Green and Left groups are mostly useless and believe they can work side by side with the major financial institutions of Europe to crate socialism. I would suggest that this is sadly true in all EU countries at the national level, from which comes their representation in the EU. I'm not in favour of it, but you can't really blame the EP of being a representative of awful opinions? Mans posted:All neoliberal parties will pressure their militants to go vote for their favorite alliances, which they allways do, to create a parliament of privatizing lunatics who even consider sexual education to be propaganda to turn children into gay abortionists. Since people are disillusioned with their lives and national politics, much less European politics, this means they will allways win the elections no matter what. This I find really depressing; I know so many people who think this way and then go 'feh, so I won't vote!'. With the turnout expected to be so low, you really can't say that your vote won't count - imagine what you could actually do if you found a decent candidate and turned out the vote for her/him? Preferential voting, at least where I'm from, could make a huge different in who you send to the EP. Simply giving up will for sure guarantee that old people and eurosceptics are the big winners. As to the thing about the sexual education, yes that was an colossal gently caress you to LGBT and other people. This is, however, exactly why I would argue that you should vote, because otherwise you definitely expect more of the same. Mans posted:gently caress this parliament charade, if a national parliament is already composed of a healthy dose of idiocy and corruption i'm sure the solution is an exterior parliament with even wealthier idiots that play pretend politics. The Left Bloc needs all the support they can get - right now the EPP has a tendency to turn to the ECR for extra votes, which leads to shitshows like the sexual education report refusal. The good news is that GUE-NGL may become bigger than Greens-EFA in the next Parliament, with people like Tsipris and some new German voices. They should be much more powerful in their messaging. And in my experience, MEPs aren't so much corrupt as they are clueless. They're very adorable little sheep who very often have to vote (full chamber) on stuff they can't possibly completely understand - how could you? When there's votes to be had on financial regulation, complicated environment stuff and transport they are very open to lobbyists of all stripes. The only lobby that's non-existent or poo poo in the EU is the leftist economic agenda. They're not up to the task of taking on the banks, chambers of commerce etc. Junior G-man fucked around with this message at 14:46 on Apr 14, 2014 |
# ? Apr 14, 2014 14:35 |
|
Also, the last plenary sitting of the European Parliament has just begun! Here's what they will be talking about. To underline my previous points, here's only a few of the things that will be voted on (you may still be in time to contact them and list your concerns!): quote:
|
# ? Apr 14, 2014 15:33 |
|
Good OP. The British press has been talking up Helle Thorning-Schmidt as a potential compromise candidate for the presidency of the commission - is she considered plausible elsewhere in Europe?
|
# ? Apr 14, 2014 15:49 |
|
LemonDrizzle posted:Good OP. The British press has been talking up Helle Thorning-Schmidt as a potential compromise candidate for the presidency of the commission - is she considered plausible elsewhere in Europe? I've heard some scuttlebutt about it here (I work in Brussels), but the problem is that no-one knows what this means: quote:The European Parliament shall elect the president of the European Commission on the basis of a proposal made by the European Council, taking into account the European elections (article 17, paragraph 7 of the Treaty on European Union). Since she's not elected as the candidate of any EP group (not that there was a requirement to, it was thought up as an idea to give the elections more face and personality than it has had previously), she's not any group's figurehead. I mean, even Barroso was endorsed by the EPP before he got the job, and I don't know if S&D would throw their weight behind her now they have Schultz. While the Council and EP are at perfect liberty to wipe their asses with their own proposed candidates, I'd say it would be hard to ignore them after we've made such a fuss out of them; doesn't exactly speak wonders for European Democracy if they do, no? Thorning-Schmidt definitely has the papers for the job, but my money is still on Schultz - I know he wants the job badly.
|
# ? Apr 14, 2014 15:59 |
|
Mans posted:gently caress this parliament charade, if a national parliament is already composed of a healthy dose of idiocy and corruption i'm sure the solution is an exterior parliament with even wealthier idiots that play pretend politics. Don't forget the higher election threshold so no one outside the established political parties has a chance. The only real "choice" you have is to vote for the pro austerity/federalisation crowd or the fascists. How about i don't legitimise your fake democracy with a symbolic vote instead? If eurosceptics are the big winners that is fine with me. But why do they have to be literal fascists. Shouldn't the european parliament be elected europe wide, not with the EP's elected by country as it is now? I find this very problematic. In my own country new parties are formed and abolished all the time, and they have real influence on parliament. In europe such a thing can not happen and i can choose from a handful of parties who have a chance to make the parliament who are pretty much all pro europe and pro further integration. e: I do wish i could cast a "Not this guy" vote for the "President". Anyone but Guy Verhofstad. gently caress that guy forever.
|
# ? Apr 14, 2014 16:16 |
|
Junior G-man posted:Thorning-Schmidt definitely has the papers for the job, but my money is still on Schultz - I know he wants the job badly. Anyway, the average of the UK polls conducted this month give Labour 31% of the vote, UKIP 28%, the Tories 23%, the Lib Dems (our only major pro-EU party ) 9%, and the greens 4% We'll be sending a whole load of crazy in your general direction, I'm afraid.
|
# ? Apr 14, 2014 16:28 |
|
Yeah, there's gonna be a flood of nutters coming our way, and it will make everyone's job a living hell, whether you wish to be Note that Labour, although they are part of the S&D group, expressly did not support Schultz because "there were limits to their desire for European Federalism" - they're terrible at their positioning on the EU. I always think that Milliband just wants the EU to go away as an issue. He's been ducking and dodging this whole thing for too long. The trouble with the crazies (and especially UKIP) is that their anti-stance just makes them inefficient; there's no proposal to end the EU, change its process, or make it more accountable or anything. These people get elected and then spend 4 years throwing an ineffectual tantrum, it's so poo poo. I'm looking at you, Godfrey Bloom (UKIP), with a 24.7% voting attendance record. Jesus. I'm definitely not a Federalist or a holy believer in the EU, but I think that as an MEP you need to be responsible, especially if you're a regional-vote like the UK has. There were big votes etc. on fishing this last year, from regions where the UKIP currently holds the seat, and they didn't even turn up to the committee meetings to defend their regional interests. Idiots.
|
# ? Apr 14, 2014 16:37 |
|
From my perspective, i can vote for the CDU or Left Bloc since all the other suggestions are neoliberal drones. On the one hand, the Left Bloc goes so hard from tireless activists against capitalist oppression and exploitation to working alongside PS to actively defending the idea of a "debt pardon" under EU directions, which means still siding with the side that gave us such a beating of austerity in the hopes that the next centrist neoliberal parties won't continue the process of privatizations, money laundering and erosion of the well-fare state, which they will. On the other hand, CDU's stance of direct opposition to EU institutions is much more agreeable to me because it's clear that the future of the EU is this situation being the status quo with possible signs of becoming much worse with every inevitable crisis. However their stance is so worthless due to their isolation that not even a million Mans voting would matter. So i can vote for neoliberalism, protesters against neoliberalism but that don't reject neoliberal action in itself or opposition against neoliberalism but that it's clear at first that they'll be alone because they actually oppose EU authority and aren't fascist pieces of poo poo, which seems to be the standards of anyone who opposes the EU outside of the tail of Europe for some reason. And there's just no way to convince people to vote for this charade. With a system that seems to be built to hide out it actually works so that people are never really sure who has any kind of responsibility in Europe (expect for the lazy south\fascist Merkel), there's just no way to have personal motivation to vote, much less convince people to do so. I still believe the only change to the EU will happen when the poo poo hits the fan in national elections and the EU flips their poo poo and realize they need to change course.
|
# ? Apr 14, 2014 18:31 |
|
It makes absolutely zero sense to castigate a minor party in a democracy for working with other groups in cases where their interests align.
|
# ? Apr 14, 2014 22:34 |
|
LemonDrizzle posted:Good OP. The British press has been talking up Helle Thorning-Schmidt as a potential compromise candidate for the presidency of the commission - is she considered plausible elsewhere in Europe?
|
# ? Apr 14, 2014 23:06 |
|
Mans posted:From my perspective, i can vote for the CDU or Left Bloc since all the other suggestions are neoliberal drones. You really can't have your 'the EU is terrible and neoliberal but I'm not gonna vote in any direction to change or improve it' and eat it too. The only thing that not voting ensures is that the austerians and the fascists have an even bigger say, because the will turn out in droves for the next election. Besides, there's still a number of MEPs who don't necessarily like the direction of Europe, especially its austerity politics, and who do work hard to change the EU. My MEP, Dennis de Jong is pretty awesome for example. There is, however, not even the remotest change of abolishing the EU and replacing it with a Marxist Paradise, so I would always opt for improving the system you have.
|
# ? Apr 15, 2014 09:29 |
|
I'll vote because I get an-all-too-fleeting sense of optimism from putting an X on a sheet of paper and then posting it into a big black box, but I'll do it with record levels of cynicism. Haven't decided who I'll vote for yet, but it'll probably come down to 2 parties who are both in the Green-European Free Alliance group because of sheer lack of better options. Scotland sends 6 MEPs to Brussels from the UKs 73, with 2 coming from the SNP (GEFA), 2 from Labour (S&D), 1 Tory (ECR) & 1 Lib Dem (ALDE). But going by the latest polls it looks like the SNP contingent will go up to 3 while the Liberals will get battered for being partners with the Tories at Westminster, ending with them losing half their vote. The Greens are polling below UKIP which is depressing, UKIPs numbers in Scotland are slightly up & could theoretically leapfrog both Greens & LibDems in Scotland, some of which has to be related to the independence referendum later in the year. And there's presumably other smaller candidates like the left wing coalition No2EU, though they managed to finish below the Socialist Labour Party in 2009 because god forbid the left actually forms a united front for once in its life. So on one hand we won't be adding to the UK's shamefully large number of xenophobic reactionary MEPs and that's nice, but at the end of the day it's all still pro-austerity candidates which is frustrating and easy to see why people struggle to care. Oh well, lesser of a bunch of evils I suppose it is. I'd really like the Labour Party to come out against the EU in its current form, but then I'd like the Labour Party to do lots of things that it probably won't in my lifetime.
|
# ? Apr 15, 2014 10:16 |
|
Who're the Left Bloc and the CDU, are those the S&D and the GUE/NGL? Or is one of them the Greens/EFA alliance? I'm assuming the Left Bloc and CDU are local-level equivalents of the federal-level parties.
|
# ? Apr 15, 2014 11:01 |
|
Redeye Flight posted:Who're the Left Bloc and the CDU, are those the S&D and the GUE/NGL? Or is one of them the Greens/EFA alliance? I'm assuming the Left Bloc and CDU are local-level equivalents of the federal-level parties. Left Bloc and CDU are Portuguese national parties, I believe.
|
# ? Apr 15, 2014 11:20 |
|
Junior G-man posted:Left Bloc and CDU are Portuguese national parties, I believe. They are. CDU is the Coligação Democrática Unitária, which is a union of the Portuguese Communist Party and the Greens, who are situated in the GUE/NGL and G/EFA blocs of the European Parliament respectively. The Left Bloc (Bloco de Esquerda) are a left-wing party who are also in GUE/NGL.
|
# ? Apr 15, 2014 12:33 |
|
Here's how the Euro elections are going down on Portugal, and who is who. This time Portugal will only get 21 spots, because of Croatia entering the Union last year. There's 20 parties in Portugal(recognized by our Constitutional Court), only two didn't present lists or candidates, I won't talk about the parties from the Azores and Madeira, nor that weird socialist one. This makes these euro-elections the biggest ever in Portugal. Though no debates or election coverage are going to happen, cause TV channels can't be bothered to follow the law that forces media to cover with equal treatment all the candidates. Mainly because doing so would force TV to change all their schedule, and cover other parties than PSD/CDS and PS is too much work. Besides CDU and BE already have their daily minute of media coverage why do they need more? There was a recent proposal by PSD/CDS and supported by PS, to change the law as to only cover parties with parliamentary seat, but that law also came with the bonus that the State could pick and choose certain conditions on how the reporting would be done, so the government/state just gave reason to a bunch of media barons. TV won't do any coverage, and PSD/CDS and PS don't mind. Victory for Democracy. Latest polls give victory to PS. Filling Mans with unbridled joy. The Main Attraction: -Aliança Portugal(Portugal Alliance) is a coalition between the parties in government: The Partido Social Democrata(Social Democrat Party(PSD)) and it's junior partner Partido do Centro Democratico Cristão-Partido Popular(Christian Democratic Centre-Popular Party(CDS-PP)). Headlining this show is PSD man Paulo Rangel, his number two is CDS Nuno Melo. Rangel is trying to salvage his political career after failing to achieve anything of worth these last years, Nuno Melo is an idiot. They claim not to be neo-liberals, cause that is a bad word, but hard defenders of Social Democracy, whose horrible task of cutting pensions fell on their laps, because PS are irresponsible and filled with Debt. Their European program is based on how the Socialist Party is not going to pay Debt, and worse, is going to make more Debt! They also like to say these kind of things: "Permanent cuts don't mean forever". Euro-Parliamentary Group? European People's Party Current MPs: 10 -Partido Socialista(The Socialist Party(PS). Headlined by Francisco Assis. Assis used to be the number two to former prime minister José Socrates, and is a rival of current party secretary general Antonio José Seguro. So Seguro has arranged Assis a 5 year long paid tour of Belgium and France. How nice of him. The Socialists are here to defend us from the extreme ideologies of neo-liberalism, and to pay the Debt, and not get more Debt, via restructuring of Debt. Some members want pardon of Debt. This makes Seguro cry, because he doesn't want pardons. Last week he didn't want restructuring of Debt either, but this week he is okay with it, next week probably won't. Euro-Parliamentary Group? S&D Current MPs: 7 -Coligação Democratica Unitaria(Democratic Unitarian Coalition(CDU). A coalition between the Partido Comunista Portugues((Portuguese Communist Party(PCP) and the Partido Ecologista "Os Verdes(Ecologist Party"The Greens"(PEV)). Headlined by João Ferreira, vice-president of GUE/NGL. This continues the trend of CDU headlining more young and fresh faces, to show the country and world, they aren't political old farts from the days that Lenin was still around. They are looking to get a third man/lady into the Euro-parliament floor, and are quite confident as more votes flock their way as protest against austerity. Their base is a full renegotiation and restructuring of Debt on long term, and argue against the EU reducing funds to the periphery. The more radical proposition is a dissolution of the monetary union.(With Europe paying for all the damage it wrecked on Portuguese economy!) Euro-Parliamentary Group? GUE/NGL Current MPs: 2 -Bloco de Esquerda(Left Bloc(BE)) headlined by one of the two only women running the lists, Marisa Matias. One of few bright stars left in BE, has been trusted with the ungrateful job of salvaging a sinking ship. This year BE is simply hoping to keep it's two MPs, where back in '09 it managed to get three(before one going rogue) Believing they could be at the same time friends of PS and a more younger PCP, they blew up the whole show and have been leaking members and voters ever since 2011. They are aiming for a restructuring of Debt to get Portugal out of the financial stranglehold of the TROIKA and international markets. Wants an EU more responsible and with better solidarity with failing members. Euro-Parliamentary Group? GUE/NGL or European Greens–European Free Alliance depending on rogue members. Current MPs: 2(Originally 3 but one turned independent) The main concern is of course the Budget Treaty signed with TROIKA and austerity in Europe. It sort of stifled most political discourse. PSD/CDS see no reason to change course, while PS is stuck between worlds. PS signed the treaty, so in many ways, CDU and BE are correct when they call PS compromised. This is further highlighted by the inability of getting a straight speech from PS. CDU is going to make gains, while BE is going to get cannibalized by the Splitters. The Splitters: The last years saw BE having a bunch of dissidents leaving and forming their own BE parties or movements. They all have the same objective. To unite the left! Partido LIVRE(FREE), headlined by wild card Rui Tavares. Tavares ran for the Euro elections in '09 on the BE ticket and then went rogue, turned independent and joined the Green Alliance . He has returned to Portugal to form LIVRE last year, and is back on the race. LIVRE is relatively new, like MAS, their ultimate goal is to unite the Left. LIVRE states it's in the middle of the Left, so it's the perfect position to converge! Similar stance to BE when it comes to Debt, says that the treaty with TROIKA is anti-Europe. Euro-Parliamentary Group? European Greens–European Free Alliance Movimento Alternativa Socialista(Alternative Socialist Movement(MAS)) headlined by former BE member Gil Garcia. Annoyed with BE sucking up to PS, they broke off and went looking for proper socialism. They want to be the force that is going to bridge PCP, PAN, Verdes, into a cohesive Portuguese Left. BE, LIVRE and PS need not apply. Share some ideas with CDU, want a referendum for Portugal on the issue of keeping the Euro. Euro-Parliamentary Group? GUE/NGL Both parties suffer from the same condition. They are entering a political area that is already entrenched and saturated in Portugal, and both offer very little, so far, that distinguishes them on the eyes of the electorate. Especially in a country filled with old people. Why vote for the high-school socialism of MAS when PCP is around? Why vote for kindergarten Leftism of LIVRE when BE already does that? They still new, so there's a lot of chance to grow and find a voice that isn't riddled with "Uniting the Left" soundbites. I think LIVRE will do better in the long run, as Tavares seems to be more savvy. The Wilderness: Portugal this year presents a wide variety of wild parties. You have everything; fascists, nature lovers, Maoists, angry Catholics, and populist reactionaries! -Movimento Partido da Terra(Earth Party Movement(MPT)) headlined by super lawyer and Judge António Marinho e Pinto. Boasts turning MPT into the 6th Political Force in Portugal on the last elections.(They got 2% by riding on PSD/CDS coalitions on the municipals) Marinho e Pinto is very preoccupied with the situation of the US naval base on the Azores, and promises to bring back tensions on the Atlantic so the Americans gives us more money, and stick around forever. TROIKA bad. Euro-Parliamentary Group? Marinho e Pinto claims to be "Free". -Partido Comunista dos Trabalhadores Portugueses/ Movimento Reorganizativo do Partido do Proletariado(The Other Communist Party.(PCTP/MRPP)) Leopoldo Mesquita leads this merry band of Maoists. Their "pragmatic point" is leaving the Euro as Portugal cannot grow while under the it. The former party of the soon-to-be ex-Commissioner Zé Manel Durão Barroso. He got kicked out of it for stealing desks from the Lisbon Law College. That rascal. Euro-Parliamentary Group? GUE/NGL -Partido pelos Animais e pela Natureza(Party for the Animals and Nature(PAN)) headlined by Orlando Figueiredo. Figueiredo claims to be the only political force that "is outside of the rigged political deck". They aim for a Europe that recognizes "the rights of animals, of nature and future Human and non-Human generations", and the end of entertainment that uses the exploitation of animals, and the end of the Common Agricultural Policy. Save the Iberian Lynx! Euro-Parliamentary Group? European Greens–European Free Alliance or GUE/NGL -Partido Nacional Renovador(The National Renovation Party(PNR)) Led by Humberto Nuno de Oliveira, this is the Portuguese Fascist Party. But it wasn't always. It used to be the party of the first President after 74, Ramalho Eanes. It was the centre party proposed by Eanes to counter the madness engulfing Portugal and the bitter feud between the Socialist and Communist Party. When he left, the party rotted away, with eventually a bunch of fascists making home in it. Their strategy is the EU is bad for Portugal and Europe, and to beware of "Federasts". Euro-Parliamentary Group? Not playing ball with the other anti-EU. -Partido Popular Monarquico(Popular Monarch Party(PPM) headlined by Nuno Correia da Silva. Want a European wide social pension, and the creation of an European fund to rescue families who are over in debt. Against salary cuts, as only fair and just salaries will defeat Communism. Oddly tame this year. Still they insist on having that ugly flag and sucking up to the Duke of Bragança. Boooooo! Euro-Parliamentary Group? Dunno (You decide! Pro-Abortion or Christian CAN'T CHOOSE BOTH! END ABORTION NOW!) -Portugal Pró-Vida(Pro-Life Portugal(PPV) headlined by the other woman running a list, Joana Câmara Pereira. Catholics, "pro-family", and anti-abortion, running on the base that "they" are killing Christian values. They like to post image macros with quotes of Plato and Saint Augustine on their facebook. Euro-Parliamentary Group? Abortion bad! -Partido da Nova Democracia(The New Democracy Party) headlined by popular actor Nicolau Breyner. A party that was born out of CDS, to reinforce Conservative-Liberal values, now overrun by fascists-in-disguise and reactionary nutters. Some say it always was like that. Euro-Parliamentary Group? No idea. Abstention rates are probably be hitting new highs, as in '09, there was only 37% of turnout, and this time around Portuguese are even more disinterested with the EU, and with their politicians. Secretly Portuguese wish that their fate would turn into that Saramago novel where the Iberian Peninsula breaks off with the continent and roams the Atlantic and everything breaksdown, so we can get rid of this clown show. Electronico6 fucked around with this message at 18:12 on Apr 15, 2014 |
# ? Apr 15, 2014 16:02 |
|
Our minor groups are amazing, i wonder what minor groups you get in places like France or Germany with the country so turned to the right as-is. Rui Tavares' FREEDOM cult of personality is hilarious, PAN wants socialized medicine for animals, a lawyer (which actually made some good points from time to time) is pretty much trying to create a new CDS single-handedly, MAS acts like they need to public support or denounce literally everything in the world like they matter and the monarchists and fascists are retirment clubs for golf players and metal fans, respectively. And yeah, what matters is the debt, what the debt means and what our lives will be due to the debt, with the centrist parties doing enormous efforts to downplay the misery of the country. Basically: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Adp77ivpT8 Junior G-man posted:You really can't have your 'the EU is terrible and neoliberal but I'm not gonna vote in any direction to change or improve it' and eat it too. The only thing that not voting ensures is that the austerians and the fascists have an even bigger say, because the will turn out in droves for the next election. My optimism is that the European vote reaches 10% and only full on neoliberals reach power so we can accelerate the austerity cult process.
|
# ? Apr 15, 2014 17:53 |
|
Mans posted:My optimism is that the European vote reaches 10% and only full on neoliberals reach power so we can accelerate the austerity cult process.
|
# ? Apr 15, 2014 20:48 |
|
LemonDrizzle posted:Notable historical successes of accelerationism: The SPD's vote in the Reichstag to unanimously support the German Empire's 1914 declaration of war? That was pretty successful in eliminating the Kaiser and letting them govern a German Republic like they always wanted...you know...eventually.
|
# ? Apr 16, 2014 05:01 |
|
VitalSigns posted:The SPD's vote in the Reichstag to unanimously support the German Empire's 1914 declaration of war? I'm not sure I would call the consequences of that vote a success, by any real measure.
|
# ? Apr 16, 2014 08:53 |
|
Redeye Flight posted:I'm not sure I would call the consequences of that vote a success, by any real measure. Way to move the goalposts <> Look, they got the Social Democracy they wanted by handing total control of the country to the German military who promptly ran the country off the cliff into to total insanity. It was a textbook perfect accelerationist maneuver. If millions of war dead, rampant starvation, a shattered economy, and a fascist takeover after just 15 years that was nightmarish beyond anything anyone back in the pre-war Imperial times could have possibly imagined suddenly isn't a success under your new definition then fiiiiiine, don't vote for the neoliberals. VitalSigns fucked around with this message at 12:11 on Apr 16, 2014 |
# ? Apr 16, 2014 12:09 |
|
LemonDrizzle posted:Notable historical successes of accelerationism: Times where parties blinking to the left but turning to the right to work directly with the financial groups that impose the inequality and misery that is plaguing Europe has worked for the well-being of the working man: There will be change in the EU when people turn hard enough to give majorities to parties who oppose EU policies in their national elections. Not by choosing which person now deserves a five year vacation in Brussels for 4k euros a month.
|
# ? Apr 16, 2014 18:25 |
|
Mans posted:
I doubt that, but it's especially not true this election. Hence it might be better to vote for a useless lefty than a useful rightwing austerity hardon ...
|
# ? Apr 16, 2014 19:00 |
|
Perhaps someone here can help me with this. I'm a German citizen, but I've lived in another EU member state for some time. I registered to vote in this country and am on the rolls here. I just found out that I absolutely need to be in Germany on the day of the election, and in a quite random place (I've never lived there). My question is: can I vote in Germany by just showing up at a polling station with my passport? Figuring out how to vote by mail in the other country seems impossibly difficult?
|
# ? Apr 21, 2014 23:40 |
|
floppo posted:Perhaps someone here can help me with this. I'm a German citizen, but I've lived in another EU member state for some time. I registered to vote in this country and am on the rolls here. I just found out that I absolutely need to be in Germany on the day of the election, and in a quite random place (I've never lived there). My question is: can I vote in Germany by just showing up at a polling station with my passport? Figuring out how to vote by mail in the other country seems impossibly difficult? http://www.europeancitizensabroad.eu/germany.html You have to show up at the district you are registered in. But it seems that you can put in the request for vote by mail via the German Federal Electoral Office page, or contacting the German embassy in the country where you live. Edit: Bad at reading, and missed that you are registered in that country. http://www.europeancitizensabroad.eu/vote.html Guess you have see how the rules go down where you currently live, but if the mail system is that complicated, being a German citizen you could probably do the above if it's easier. Electronico6 fucked around with this message at 00:41 on Apr 22, 2014 |
# ? Apr 22, 2014 00:27 |
|
I wanted to make a summary for the Italian situation, but guess what? poo poo's hosed up. I'll do it nonetheless but this round of elections is turning into local politics: we're pretty much going to verify if Berlusconi's really dead, if Renzi's really our new Berlusconi and if Grillo has vision or is just a hack.
|
# ? Apr 23, 2014 13:19 |
|
Did Berlusconi seriously get 1 month of community service in punishment or did my newspaper just make a mistake?
|
# ? Apr 23, 2014 13:32 |
|
Xoidanor posted:Did Berlusconi seriously get 1 month of community service in punishment or did my newspaper just make a mistake? 4 hours/week in a nursing home for 10 months. I'd say "Mistake"! The original sentence was for 4 years of prison, but he's past 70 so he can't go in detention. Plus there are ways to shorten the duration of the detention if you somehow cooperate with the law. In the end, the attorney asked for house detention, Berlusconi's lawyer negotiated for community service. Our beloved ex-premier ended up nursing people as old as him. Some of them are really happy of having him around! Char fucked around with this message at 14:54 on Apr 23, 2014 |
# ? Apr 23, 2014 13:44 |
|
Char posted:I wanted to make a summary for the Italian situation, but guess what? poo poo's hosed up. Question about Renzi: he has talked up Tony Blair and said he's great and super cool. Do people outside the UK not realize that Tony Blair was terrible and widely loathed by the time he left?
|
# ? Apr 23, 2014 19:29 |
|
|
# ? Apr 19, 2024 17:04 |
|
Badger of Basra posted:Question about Renzi: he has talked up Tony Blair and said he's great and super cool. Do people outside the UK not realize that Tony Blair was terrible and widely loathed by the time he left? Nope. We aren't, at least. According to the current interpretation of UK politics by our media, Tony Blair is a respectable politician who shaked up the stagnating scene in the UK, bringing new ideas and allowing the UK to keep its place among the leading countries in the western world.
|
# ? Apr 23, 2014 21:13 |