The 2004 European elections

Résumé du document

On the 13th of June 2004, except in a few countries (Ireland, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Czech Republic and United Kingdom where it occurred one or two days before), more than 338 millions European citizens went to the polls to choose their representatives at the European Parliament, namely the Members of the European Parliament (MEP's). This event, which may look quite normal in a democratic system, is indeed a major event in the European construction. The elections had never taken place to such a scale, with 25 members involved. It was the first occasion for the newly members of Eastern Europe and Mediterranean Sea to take part in one of the greatest democratic events and to have, at least, their say in the European process. Finally, these elections turned out to be disappointing to a certain extent, either concerning the way they took place or concerning the consequences. Let's see why.

Extraits

[...] This event, which may look quite normal in a democratic system, is indeed a major event in the European construction. The elections had never taken place to such a scale, with 25 members involved. It was the first occasion for the newly members of Eastern Europe and Mediterranean Sea to take part in one of the greatest democratic events and to have, at least, their say in the European process. Finally, these elections turned out to be disappointing to a certain extent, either concerning the way they took place or concerning the consequences. [...]

[...] Reversely, the sovereignists committed in favor of a “Europe of the Nations”, that is to say a weak and limited Europe whose concerns themselves would not reach the nowadays second and third pillars, an economic and not political or military Europe. The regionalists fought for the recognition of the regions, beyond national boundaries. There was a real diversity amongst the concerns, a mixture of national issues applied to a European scale. Roughly speaking, the poll took place on the 13th of January 2004. It was a proportional poll, with only one turn. [...]

[...] Despite the disappointing results of June 2004, there's no denying the EP is the proper place to solve this problem of lacking interest, since there, seat the legitimate representatives of the European citizens. [...]

[...] It turns out that nowadays, the choice of the MEP's is no longer incidental, since the latter can have a real influence over the decisions, the impulsions of the EP: voting either for a eurooptimist or for a euroskeptic could change many things in the political background of the 2000's. The results Three major trends could be observed during this vote. First, there was a very high level of abstention. Moreover, the European level of a figure fairly worrying by itself, is hiding discrepancies between the countries. [...]

[...] Generally speaking a minority of the European citizens played their role in the poll; this attitude could be considered as a reflection of the so- called lack of democracy and citizen interest towards the EU, its life and functions. The local and national stakes and debates prevailing over the European ones is another proof of it. Indeed, even though Malta inhabitants voted massively on the 13th of January ( 82.37 the campaign was mainly dominated by local issues such as the flare-up of the unemployment rate or diminution of the purchasing power. It seems that the Maltians went to the polls to have their say concerning these issues, and not concerning the future of the EU. [...]