Following the recent European Parliament elections, and YFoEE’s ‘Your Voice, Your Choice’ campaign, Max Ramezani, a member of BUNDjugend (YFoE Germany) and the YFoEE Steering Group, shares his reflections on the results of the elections.
Extreme weather events like the recent devastating floods in Southeast Europe are increasing. They are showing that human made climate change is already happening, whereas climate change hasn’t been high on the agenda during the European election campaign. In addition, while the EU and the USA are negotiating a free trade agreement possibly sidestepping democratic decisions, as well as social and environmental standards, this trade deal (TTIP) hasn’t been very high on the agenda during the election campaign. Instead of all this, the main message of the two big parlamentary families, the social and the christian democrats, was based on the paradigm of increasing economic growth. Of course, this attitude is completely unsatisfying: Europe shouldn’t carry on to grow at the expense of people and the globe’s nature, environment and climate. We can’t carry on! Therefore, we will watch closely the new deputies, no matter who will become the future president of the European Commission. We expect this person to finally act now!
Personally, I am deeply concerned about the fact that there is such a low participation at the European elections. The European Parlement together with the European Citizens’ Initiative are THE democratic tools within the EU. Our everyday life and our environmental protection policies are delt with on an European level. Consequently it is very sad people didn’t take their chance to vote and express their opinion. In the same way I expect politicians to act, I demand people to engage in society!
Finally, the shift to the right in the European Union is worrying. Let’s refuse racism and xenophobia – Young Friends of the Earth Europe stands for worldwide solidarity, democracy and tolerance!
Find out more about what Young Friends of the Earth Europe expects from the newly elected European Parliament.