Todesengel
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009, 02:41 PM
Proposals to change the way EU voting works will be tabled next year to counter the low turnout and big gains for fringe parties.
The elections have fragmented the European Parliament as never before after voters across the continent elected large numbers of non-aligned MEPs outside the traditional pro-EU Christian Democrats, Socialists and Liberals. In Britain, the BNP, UKIP, and the Greens, made gains at the expense of Labour and Lib Dem votes.
Joseph Daul, the chairman of the European People's Party, parliament's biggest Christian Democrat led grouping, has hinted at changes to minimise the impact of national issues, such as Britain's expenses scandal, on wider Europe.
"Perhaps we need to rethink electoral systems," he said. "The turnout at each election seems to strengthen extremism. Some are asking if the electoral system is still a valid one."
Under current rules, voters across Europe choose between the same political parties as during national elections, a situation, some have suggested, downgrades the EU.
Andrew Duff, leader of Britain's Liberal Democrats, is planning to propose pan-European political lists for at least 25 seats to break the link between national parties and EU votes.
"The thinking is to move away from European elections dominated by national issues. The idea is start discussion about a European dimension to politics and to galvanise European as opposed to national political parties," he said.
Parliament sources have acknowledged that a reform debate is needed to bring "some needed stability to the institution".
"Some people will say 'bad losers' but making the elections more European and less national might help bring some stability into the system," said an official.
Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, said: "The EU has tampered enough with our democracy. No more please."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/5479021/European-elections-2009-EU-voting-system-could-axe-political-parties.html
The elections have fragmented the European Parliament as never before after voters across the continent elected large numbers of non-aligned MEPs outside the traditional pro-EU Christian Democrats, Socialists and Liberals. In Britain, the BNP, UKIP, and the Greens, made gains at the expense of Labour and Lib Dem votes.
Joseph Daul, the chairman of the European People's Party, parliament's biggest Christian Democrat led grouping, has hinted at changes to minimise the impact of national issues, such as Britain's expenses scandal, on wider Europe.
"Perhaps we need to rethink electoral systems," he said. "The turnout at each election seems to strengthen extremism. Some are asking if the electoral system is still a valid one."
Under current rules, voters across Europe choose between the same political parties as during national elections, a situation, some have suggested, downgrades the EU.
Andrew Duff, leader of Britain's Liberal Democrats, is planning to propose pan-European political lists for at least 25 seats to break the link between national parties and EU votes.
"The thinking is to move away from European elections dominated by national issues. The idea is start discussion about a European dimension to politics and to galvanise European as opposed to national political parties," he said.
Parliament sources have acknowledged that a reform debate is needed to bring "some needed stability to the institution".
"Some people will say 'bad losers' but making the elections more European and less national might help bring some stability into the system," said an official.
Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, said: "The EU has tampered enough with our democracy. No more please."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/5479021/European-elections-2009-EU-voting-system-could-axe-political-parties.html