by Panagiotis Koutsoumpelis

In a few days, European citizens will be asked to cast their vote for the nomination of the new members of the European Parliament. They will be asked to decide what kind of Europe they want, what kind of Europe they need.

Today, being at a crossroads of crucial decisions regarding the future of the “old continent”, European citizens acknowledge that what they need is a more democratic, more social, more interactive Europe. To put it simply, they need more Europe in their everyday lives.
European citizens are aware of the fact that their participation in the Euroelections will have a crucial effect on their everyday lives. They also understand that the nominated members represent more than 400 millions citizens. Their vote in these European elections may ensure exactly everything they need. They know that the voice of European citizens is better heard in the European Parliament, whose competence will broaden.

With the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament -the only directly elected body of the European Union- will gain bigger participation in the legislative process and will be co-legislator with the Council for 95% of the community legislation. At the same time, the process of co-decision  will comprise of about 40 new political fields, such as the field of asylum and immigration, areas of major importance for Greece.
The members of the Parliament which we are going to elect on the 7th of June will be then asked to form European Union’s legislation, for a series of crucial issues, such as the Union’s role within the new international setting, the Euro-Atlantic relations, the quality of the air we breath and the food we consume, the security of our children’s toys etc. These are issues of direct and vital importance for all of us.
In an economically and politically difficult circumstance, the vote of 7th of June is particularly important. No doubt, the opinion of a “loose vote” or “vote for protest” cannot and should not be adopted by any European citizen. We all comprehend that new members of the European Parliament will be asked to take crucial decisions for the future of Europe, serving the Union’s principles, values and goals. For this reason, they should be elected on the basis of right criteria. The European Union, its bodies, the European Parliament, concern us all. They affect us. Let us not lose our right to select them.