More power than ever in European elections

MORE THAN 500,000 Cypriots are being invited to vote in the European elections on May 25 to elect six representatives to the European Parliament for 2014-2019 period.

According to an EU statement there are just 100 days left until the first polling stations open and 400 million Europeans cast their votes to elect a total of 751 MEPs who will take up their seats in July.

Cyprus is one of only four member states where voting is compulsory, though choosing not to vote no longer results in any penalties. Under EU law, voting is not compulsory. The other three countries to implement this, are Greece, Luxembourg and Belgium.

In the face of the economic crisis the elections will give voters the chance to contribute to the decision of strengthening or changing the direction that Europe takes, said the statement.

This will also be the first time that the new European Parliament will determine who will lead the next European Commission term. EU government leaders will propose a candidate for the post of the future Commission President based on the election results.

The new political majority that is to emerge will also shape European legislation over the next five years in areas from the single market to civil liberties.

The Parliament is now being referred to as ‘a linchpin’ in terms of European decision-making and is also being reported to have equal say with national governments on virtually all EU laws. According to the statement, voters are being given more power than ever before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.