EU Vote

Mamie

I think the National Front in France had 25% of the vote.

Roughshod over the little people. Perhaps Ireland having to vote until it said yes?

Yes Spain proves not to be so eurosceptic but the 2 main parties, went down from an 80% share of seats to 49%. Spain has 54 seats in the EU, of which the two main parties held 47. Now they have lost 17 seats to the far left and Catalonian Separatists. There lies another problem for Spain which might get some momentum.

As with you Mamie the FN was marginally beaten by the Socialists in our commune.
I'm just hoping that the people of France will wake up to the possibilities of what could follow - as in the presidential election of 2002 (when the second vote was between J. Chirac and LePen snr.)
We had recently arrived in France and I remember a worker in M. Bricolage saying to us, "what kind of country is this - we have to choose between a convicted criminal (corruption) and a nazi for President?"

I'm with Granjura. Since when was it not possible to be hard-working and aspirational and vote Labour? Would be interested to know your criteria and how I'd apply them to my own family.

Actually Spain hadn't gone to the right either Granjura; they know what happens there too.
The things that worry me the most are that the conditions seem very similar to those which led to the rise of fascism in the twenties and thirties; high unemployment, poverty, alienation and widespread political apathy, to name but a few. Secondly that if the right manages to influence policies on energy and climate change (UKIPs policy is shocking), then I think it will be almost impossible to reverse what is happening to the planet.
I don't know about France. Given the low turn-out, I think only about 11% of the electorate voted for the National Front. It may just be a massive protest against Hollande that will not be sustained, or it may be the beginning of something very frightening. On verra. But I visited one of the war cemeteries today and wondered what the soldiers would have thought.
I also don't really understand all this "arrogant, juggernaut EU riding roughshod over the little people" stuff.
A few concrete examples would be interesting.

Granjura

Hasn't Germany had 6 seats go to the Alternative for Deutschland Party/NPD. Something like that, not sure?

Are you really saying that you can't be 'extremely hardworking and aspirational' and not vote labour? Truly? I am stunned.

Is it correct that immigrants who came here one, two or three generations ago vote Labour? (MiceSelf's post above)
I would doubt that my immigrant friends have ever or would ever vote Labour. They are the sort of immigrants people always say they welcome here, extremely hardworking and aspirational.

Germany seems to be the only country not moving to the far right at the moment... perhaps because they know what happens when ...

Mind you, Austria has been there before too- and???

I agree Roseq.

I watched the Daniel Gros interview, Centre for European Policy Studies. He said the EU Commission/Parliament will not alter, why should it! The European Elite, Bubble , are so convinced they are right and the 'little people', that's the voter, are wrong they have to do as they say. The will for further integration and a Federal Europe is all the gravy train have their sights on.

I'm not surprised by the outcome of the far left/right groups gaining seats, the EU Commission/Parliament have shown basically contempt for anybody who voiced an opinion of opposition. You could argue it's an own goal and perhaps they did deserve it. Again the question is, at what cost????

Poor Nick. Probably be networking later trying to get a fat cat EU job. He will do well back there, he's always right.

Just watched Nick Clegg interview on Sky News.

Poor bloke looked shattered. He had either been crying or had not slept a wink for days.

For the French GN's 'it is being reported' Hollande has held an emergency meeting and one of his moves will be to lower tax for the low to middle wage earner. Might start doing some sensible things, he can't do much worse than he has over the last few months can he.

The European Union in its present state and moving seemingly inexorably like a colossus on its own agenda is what frightens many people and makes them weep.
That is why many have voted as they have done - in an attempt to make these arrogant people stop and listen to what many have been crying out for a long time but which has been falling on deaf ears.

However, political pundits have been saying today that it will make no difference to the ultimate aims of the commissioners and bureaucrats.

WHY? The sheer arrogance of these people who think they can do no wrong is breathtaking. It is now time they took notice of the message sent out to them by a good proportion of the public.

If they do not, it shows how out of touch they are with those they consider to be 'little people' whose views they disregard because they know best.

The EU is becoming a self-serving Empire, intent on serving its own power-hungry bureaucracy, and empires have come and gone over the millennia.

Mamie and others living in France now- with Marine Lepen and the National Front getting 25% of the vote and becoming the number 1 party of France- how can the country go forwards now? It must be truly worrying and so much more.

Petallus- how can the recent move to the right all over Europe realy be seen as 'positive'- what doe you mean by positive???

Same here, petallus. I'm certainly not frightened!

Sorry for those who are presently weeping.

I feel quite positive about recent outcomes.

I am sure it will Anno. It makes me weep for the future of my grandchildren.

Yes, granjura, frightening is the right word. I was almost in tears last night when I heard that an MEP whom I know quite well had to concede that he had been voted out. His has been a strong voice in defence of the environment and and advocate of many environmental initiatives. I fear that those who have taken his place will be less enthusiastic, if, indeed, they ever bother to take their seats! Will the environment be the victim of the rise of the right?

The rise of the right all over Europe is truly frightening. With Marine Lepen doing so well in France too (:

Scotland :_

SNP. 2
LABOUR 2
Conservative 1
UKIP 1
LIB DEMS -1

Lib Dem loss to UKIP.

Here's an interesting statistic from Bexley, an outer London borough. UKIP did well. Their vote equalled that of the combined votes which were cast for the BNP, No2EU and English Democrats in the 2009 election. All those parties lost nearly all of their votes.

The only comfort we can take in the southwest is that we got rid of one UKIP MEP and gained 1 Green and 1 Labour...not sure which trend that fits, other than confusion.

MiceElf

I haven't said the inner cities were not Labour heartlands. I was trying to say it was the Inner City heartlands that have kept up the Labour vote as opposed to the heartlands in the north and midlands where UKIP probably stole a few of Labours projected votes.

Given the latest reports about the high percentage of EU migrants who have registered for employment and will be paying taxes, voters need to be careful they don't shoot themselves in the foot when opting to leave the EU. We benefit from immigration, just as our forefathers did.

As for 40 million not voting, the 'poor, dispossessed and those without power' described by MiceElf, doesn't that in itself give a strong message that the majority don't see the relevance of voting for any party that is going to continue to ignore them, or just use them to gain power. If they could experience tangible benefits from voting, the turn out would be higher. I'd like to see candidates and MPs busily engaging themselves with non-voting citizens when there ISN'T something in it for them.

No POGS I'm not. I'm simply pointing out the offensiveness if that part of your post.

Labour's heartlands are the inner city areas. Always have been. Its vote came, for the most part from the poor, the dispossessed and those without much power. And, for the most part, still does. That's why it's strong among those who live in the inner city and those who have come to this country one, two or three generations ago. Most 'immigrants' are British or EU citizens. As are those who were born here and now live any one of the other European countries.

MiceElf

You are going to call me a racist next I suppose.

Sometimes the facts are what they are whether you like them or not.

Labour did not do as expected in it's heartlands, except for the inner city, immigrant areas. That is a fact not a partisan politically motivated comment, nor a snide one.

Of course all votes count.