Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Greens suffered losses in the EU elections, but made gains in other countries. The party’s leaders expressed concern over the rise of far-right parties and emphasized the need for a pro-European democratic majority. Campaigners highlighted the plight of EU citizens who were ineligible to vote in the EU elections due to varying national legislation and Brexit.
Bas Eickhout, a senior Greens MEP, has spoken out about the disappointing outcome of the EU elections, in which his party suffered significant losses. Despite this setback, Eickhout acknowledged that the Greens made gains in other countries, electing MEPs from green parties in nations that had never sent greens to the European Parliament before. However, he expressed concern over the rise of far-right parties in the elections, which he believes poses a threat to the democratic values of the European Union. Eickhout’s comments reflect the complex and nuanced outcome of the EU elections, which saw both progress and setbacks for different political groups.
Greens MEP Expresses Concern Over Far-Right Surge and Party’s Setback
A senior Greens MEP has admitted the rise of the far-right in the EU elections is “extremely concerning.” He also conceded that his party’s poor showing in the poll is a “blow.” The Greens suffered serious losses in the elections, leading to fears of a weakening of climate ambitions.
Reacting to the outcome of the EU wide poll, Bas Eickhout, Greens/EFA deputy leader and lead candidate of the European Green Party for the still to be decided EC presidency, said, “The losses in Germany and France are obviously a blow.” He added, “At the same time, in many countries the voters recognized the solutions of the Greens and elected MEPs from green parties in countries which had never sent greens to the European Parliament.”
He added, “The rise of the far-right in the elections is extremely concerning for all those who believe in a democratic European Union and in just and equal societies. Given the multiple crises we face, we must not deny the problems ahead, but to work to find a way forward.”
Terry Reintke, Greens/EFA President and lead candidate of the European Green Party, added, “It is now more important than ever to secure a stable pro-European democratic majority in the European Parliament. “This democratic majority must come together in the face of the far-right. The Greens/EFA Group is a reliable, responsible partner and we are prepared to work constructively with other democratic parties to stop far-right forces from gaining power”.
Meanwhile, the plight of the ineligibility of some to vote in the EU elections has been highlighted by campaigners. Ruvi Ziegler, Associate Professor in International Refugee Law at the University of Reading, says this is a “particularly painful reality” for many.
Ziegler Highlights Disenfranchisement of Italians, Irish, and Others
Ziegler, an Advisory Council member of Liberal Democrats for Seekers of Sanctuary, said, “Millions of EU citizens living in the UK were eligible to vote in the elections, and many, like myself,cast their votes using postal votes, proxy votes, voting in person in embassies/consulates, and/or e-voting.
“In contrast, Italians living abroad would need to travel back to Italy to vote despite being able to vote from abroad for national elections. This has generated justifiable anger.” He adds, “Worse still, in five EU member states, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, Denmark, and Bulgaria, national legislation prescribes that most of their citizens residing in a ‘third country’, which the UK now is, are legally disenfranchised.
“These countries tend to follow the pattern they adopt for their national elections. Of the four nations of the UK, this legal reality is particularly challenging for Northern Ireland, given that, pursuant to the Good Friday Agreement anyone born in NI may choose to be Irish, British, or both. Hundreds of thousands of residents of Northern Ireland hold Irish citizenship.
“Prior to the conclusion of the withdrawal agreement, I highlighted the ramifications of this scenario and, in my role as Chair of the charity ‘New Europeans UK’, we recently held at Stormont, the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly which explored the effects of Brexit on voting rights of EU citizens in EU elections.”
“The legal reality in which your eligibility to vote as an EU citizen for the European Parliament is contingent on your member state’s preferences erodes the political equality of EU citizens as individual EU citizens, irrespective of their member state.
“This is a particularly painful reality for those EU citizens who have come to the UK before Brexit, when it was still an EU member state – to coin a phrase, they have not left the EU; rather, the EU has left them.”
