Rarely has any election been billed as important as this one, and rarely has any election been anticipated with such lukewarm interest. The European Parliament elections in May are a question of Europe’s destiny, in the sense that they may allow us to draw conclusions about the current state of populism across the Union.
The recurring problem has been voter turnout, which is high only in Belgium and Luxembourg – where the EU is tangibly visible to every citizen. In Finland, Estonia, and even France, as in the rest of Europe, turnout is very low. Here the greatest concern must be drawn to legitimacy, which declines as an ever smaller percentage of the Union’s citizens decides its direction. Of course, it must be noted that Parliament does not decide the most important matters: the European Council, made up of the heads of state of EU countries, decides the broad lines and the most significant issues. The Council of the European Union, made up of the relevant ministers of EU countries, in turn decides on regulation in various fields. Parliament works to a limited extent in cooperation with the Council of the European Union and, put bluntly, corresponds to Finland’s parliament. Even so, it would be important to cherish unity, especially as China and other rising economies challenge the traditional Eurocentric mindset and the Western world order.
The most important thing in raising voter turnout is inclusiveness. If those who are sceptical of the European Union are not heard and their concerns are not addressed, no progress can take place. The elections in the United States have already shown what consequences can follow from failing to listen to broad sections of the population. The Union cannot present itself as an elitist entity that is an end in itself; its benefits must be demonstrated concretely to citizens.
In Finland, the institution of the presidency (p. 60), for example, has traditionally served as something that unites the people, but in a networked world, however much one might wish to deny it, one cannot think only of one’s own country. The European Union specifically offers a unifying factor spanning the whole of Europe against everything that threatens it. Certain things are best done within one’s own country, but certain things, such as counter-terrorism and border security, simply make sense to do at the EU level.
The European Union is absolutely not perfect, and this is worth remembering. However, it is the best thing we currently have, and it must be cherished. The upcoming EU elections will show what the situation is like across the Union. The Western world should stand together, and that is why it is worth voting.
Text: Pietari Kokko
The author studies administrative science at Tampere University and is interested in how global phenomena affect everyday life. He also likes sushi.