European Elections
Voting in the European Parliament elections
Between 4 and 7 June 2009, 375 million European citizens will have the opportunity to vote for the politicians who will represent them at Brussels over the next five years. EU citizens who are registered residents in the Netherlands can cast their votes on 4 June.
I've just cast my vote. Our polling stations are located in schools or other public buildings. I went to a school at a five minutes' walk from home. I know the ladies at the desk and after a talk about the benefits of one united Europe and especially the euro,which saved our nations from bankrupcy, like the case was in Iceland, I took a photo of them.
The upcoming elections for the European Parliament are the biggest transnational voting exercise in the history of mankind. 736 new MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) will be elected between 4 and 7 June in 27 member states. Two of these, Bulgaria and Romania, are participating for the first time in this exercise.
MEPs are elected for a five-year mandate by universal adult suffrage, and there is no other body that gets elected directly.
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22 comments:
Nice post. I learn a little bit from each blog ab out the world.
Our Flower Pot
This sounds like an important election year for all concerned countries. I hope all goes well and you get the best possible officials to represent all of the people.
Isn't it wonderful that the privilage to vote is offered. So glad you participated in these important times.
I just read The Hiding Place and blogged about it today. It so impressed me with the wonderful sprit of that Dutch lady and brings home the importance of voting.
Hoi Wil, great to hear from you again. Sorry I have been busy lately with school starting soon. I'm still deciding whether to take full time load with the school where I teach nursing. Misschien ga ik naar Amerika op Augustus, sshhhh...hahahah! Ik wacht nog voor mijn COVOG van de Ministerie van Justitie en ik weet niet waaneer komt het papier. :) Het maakt mij nervous om te wachten.
And BTW, great signs van de stemmen. And I guess the ladies must have been happy to have their pictures taken. :)
Reader wil - here at the moment people are so disillusioned about Members of Parliament and Governments that I suspect the turn out for voting will be very low.
I always learn something when I visit you Wil. Have a great day!
This is the first time I didn't vote. I was just so fed up with the corrupt expenses claim in this country. Those so called politicians who are telling us how to live our life truthfully and honestly, who lay down the laws, and all that time robbing us, the hard solid workers, of their well earned money. Two fingers up to the lot.
Sorry Wil, I'm just so angry with them.
AND Britain may say it is in the European community but it resents everything it does. This country even believes it doesn't really belong in Europe.
Most people when going on holiday still say that they are going to Europe. Will you believe that?
Hi Wil, just read your post - I wrote a post yesterday about the Election fever gripping Ireland! Hubby is running in the local elections for our Town Council, and he is the first Dutch Mayor of any Irish town as far as we know! So have a look at the post and you will see we vote today Friday June 5th for 12 Irish MEPs in the European Elections and for all our town, city and county council members. So it is nice to read about the Dutch polling day. I will be off to vote in the morning and then spending Saturday at the Count Centre, which is my firt time and I look forward to it. It is an elimination by transfers after first preference votes. Very exciting as someone can get less than quota first preference votes and still get elected on transfers after 2nd and 3rd preferences, right up to 6th or 7th count. so it is often 2-3am before the result is known in the bigger elections.
So I will come back with the result Saturday!
Catherine
Wow, 375 million people voting. Boggles the mind to even imagine that. Very interesting to read about it, Wil.
Happy weekend!
Renie
Good for you! You exercised your right to vote and educated many of us as to the scope of the EU parliamentary elections.
Must be hard to know on who to vote
as you might not know all the members well. I never had to vote for the European parlament I left before that. Very interesting
Nog een paar dagen en dan is het onze beurt om te gaan stemmen, en op wie ik ga stemmen weet ik ook al hoor. Maar we moeten ook gaan stemmen voor de Vlaamse regering, dus 2 keer stemmen op zondag.
Voel me zeker Europeaan en ook Vlaming, maar Belg neen daar bedank ik voor.
Groetjes Etje
Is this the first time to vote on the Eur. Parliament? I apologize for my ignorance, but the news doesn't keep us that well informed about what happens in the world, LOL
Wil ik kan me inbeelden dat je het eigenaardig vind dat ik me geen belg voel. Maar je moet maar eens meemaken dat als men hoort dat je een Vlaming ineens geen Nederlands kan praten. Heb dit al verschillende keren meegemaakt in Brussel en Wallonië, en dan moet je weten dat nog geen 5 minuten ervoor die persoon tegen Nederlandse mensen wel Nederlands kon praten. Is zelf al zover gekomen dat ik aan de kust op sommige plaatsen ikzelf al niet meer bediend kan worden in mijn eigen taal.
En dat gebeurd dan allemaal in je eigen (?) land .
Groetjes
Ja jullie stemden gisteren al,
met een jammerlijke resultaat!
Wij gan ervoor voor zondag.
Bij ons is er nog stemplicht,
dus moeten we gaan stemmen,
maar dat zou ik toch doen.
En ja we gaan voor de goeie
stemmen, voor mensen met een hart! ! !
We stemmen ook voor de Vlaamse regering,
je moet weten dat we in België drie regeringen hebben
en dat allemaal doordat we
verschillende talen spreken?
Geef mij maar één regering
dat kost ons dan minder ook!
Belgie, La Belgique, Belgien, drie
talen, maar allemaal mensen!
GR.
P-TER
Have a great week-end. By the way, when we vote, we also have to meet at a local school. Some meet at the fire station, depending on what part of the town you live in.
Kom je een fijn weekend wensen Wil.
Groetjes
Wil I have left a long reply to your query about the transfers and first preferences in the Irish voting system on my blogpost on the elections under your comment! Just so you know in case you haven't signed up for alerts to comments. hope it is clear - as mud probably as it is so complex, the distribution of surplus votes at each count and I don't fully understand it - will see it Sat. at the count!
Always exercise your right to vote. Very important. MB
Love your transportation slide. MB
Interesting info Wil - it's one thing I really enjoy about blogging - so much to learn about other parts of the world.
I shudder to think who the UK will return this time. It has become essentially a protest vote at the recent expenses scandals among MPs and dissatisfaction with Labour in particular, and the mainstream parties in general. I fear it won't be a true reflection of the typical Brit.
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