Your voice in Europe, your vote on May 25th

[Janet]

For the non-Spanish speaking ...

"In the next election vote Ali Baba ... at least you'll know there'll only be forty thieves" ... 

[Janet]

They are anticipating a huge abstention, and are calling for people to show their support for Europe in the face of what appears to be widespread apathy ... 

They're now saying participation in the Euro elections in the Canaries was 15.95% ... 2.5% below 2009's participation.

edit: Oh FFS, continuing the bloody tradition of Canarian fucking uselessness with numbers, one source gives 15.95%, another gives 26.05%. Take your pick. The way it's reported suggests that everyone went to vote this afternoon, but I'm too used to the hair-tearing-outness of unemployment stats to imagine it's that simple ...

[Janet]

Seems that in France, it is a clear victory for the right-wing, anti-immigration, anti-EU party of Marine Le Pen ... it's not just UKIP!

[Guanche]

All one has to do is listen to a few French people to know this was going to happen. But I don't think that the French are voting this party in for the same reasons that the UK voters voted in UKIP. I would go as far to suggest that the UK voters are not even on the same page as the French as far as 'Right wing' goes.

[Janet]

but the EU has to take note, don't you think, P? There is a loud voice against federalism, against "integration", against the anti-democratic nature of it all, against constant expansion ... and whether it takes the form of Le Pen, or Farage, it's still shouting now ...

[Guanche]

One would think so, or at least hope so Janet. But I fear that the roots in Brussels are to deep. Remember that for the most part the political elite working and elected to Brussels are failed or third rate politicians in their home countries. One step from retirement like the Kinnocks or in the case of Ms Ashton nothing more than a Civil Servant. All the Eastern countries were until a few years ago under the yoke of the Kremlin. Are we to seriously believe that their political class have suddenly embraced honest democracy?

The fact that this was coming must have been clear to the whole of the Brussels Bubble for the past two or three years. And what have they done? Nothing. In fact I would say they made matters worse. I point to the EU budget and the hard line stance that the EU is not for negotiation over its rules. Not to mention the 'Crisis'. The reason for the rise of the Far Right and Far Left can be placed squarely on the doorstep of the EU. Their arrogance in failing to listen and understand is breathtaking. But so are the national Governments.

It would seem that their only defence is to call reasonable people xenophobes, racist, populist, nationlist. Yes there are some but not all.

They have been full steam ahead racing for the finish line hoping that the public won't notice until its to late. But the public have noticed and are trying to put the blocks on to at least slow the train down. Of course its not just the Brussels mob. They couldn't have got this far without the collusion of National governments.

[Janet]

They mightn't have too much of a say if countries seize back their sovereignty. Interesting that Marine Le Pen says she's "detoxified" the party from its racist roots:

'The EU nowadays is like the old Soviet Union - it can't be improved,' she said. 'We need to let it crumble and build after it a Europe of free and sovereign nations.' Ms Le Pen is also committed to maintaining French jobs for French workers, and cutting down on all immigration, especially from eastern Europe. Her party is also committed to fighting the growing influence of Islam on France, a country which has the largest Muslim community in western Europe. Mail

These things, sovereignty, home country nationals first, anti-immigration (at least widescale), and anti-Islam, are the four things that I would say have fuelled UKIP's successes (as we assume at this point). Germany is sounding the same from the press there, so it will be interesting to see what happens there. And the Netherlands, Austria ... they're all swinging right, but not to the centre right which is where austerity has come from. They've gone much further right ...

They're tolerant these days, or much more so anyway, to the old bêtes noires like sexuality (Austrian Conchita is a good example of the new tolerance, though UKIP has picked up a few Tories discontented with gay marriage), but the new enemy is within ... the EU, and its soft liberal attitudes. And the last time Europe swung right because of economic pressures forcing nationalism wasn't good ...

The EU has to listen!

[Michael]

The EU has to listen!

Things could get really interesting if they don't wouldn't you say? 

[Guanche]

I doubt very much that she has 'Detoxified' her party, we will no doubt see in the summer! All I can see is a charm offensive by the EU and national Governments. Will that be enough? I doubt it. So trouble at Mill? I think so.

[Janet]

I agree she won't have detoxified it, but she's painted over the cracks so well that the toxic element, hidden during the campaign, is now swamped by discontented "normals" ...

Yes, interesting times. China must be laughing because that's what we're living in, and that's what they wish their worst enemies ...