Ad Hoc WG - EU '19 – Manifesto on the European Elections

Cluj-Napoca, Romania 30 September

EDS MANIFESTO ON THE EUROPEAN ELECTIONS PRESENTED BY THE EU ’19 AD-HOC WORKING GROUP

Approaching the next elections to the European parliament, we the European Democrat Students as an official students’ association of the European People’s Party, acknowledge that it is our duty to play an active role in the EPP’s campaign by contributing with ideas and initiatives as well as performing any tasks the leadership of the EPP may see fit to assign to us.

We hereby recognise the following priority topics on which the EPP, together with the EDS, ought to focus during the next two years: I. THE ROLE OF THE YOUTH The youth of every nation are a most valuable asset as they are the key to securing the future wellbeing and prosperity of the nation. It is therefore of utmost importance that the young people are actively involved in the political processes which transpire within the society. The role of the youth in politics can however be considered twofold.

On the one hand, the young people ought to be our priority as a target electorate population as they can be more reluctant to engage in any form of political activity, as well as more susceptible to populist rhetoric. It is therefore of paramount significance that the EPP’s messages reach and engage the highest possible number of young people.

On the other hand, the youth can be a particularly efficient instrument for spreading our messages and reaching a broader group of voters. Since young people are energetic, resourceful, creative and communicative, it often happens that they inspire people from other age groups who are otherwise more prone to cynicism.

II. BRING THE EPP CLOSER TO PEOPLE One of the reasons why people may feel indifferent or more impartial to European politics is in fact that they are not always completely aware of how, specifically, their lives have been influenced and altered by decisions taken by the European institutions. We therefore recognise the necessity to raise people’s awareness of the work of the European institutions and of the EPP’s contribution in particular. We feel that the citizens of the EU ought to be informed and/or reminded of the benefits, conveniences and advantages they enjoy thanks to the efforts of politicians from the EPP.

Another key element to making people more involved in European politics is by making the EPP more recognisable on a national level. It is our concern that the majority of the citizens only recognise national parties and do not fully appreciate the importance of European parties. Whilst we acknowledge that it is every European politician’s responsibility to promote the image of the EPP in their own home country, we appeal to the leadership of the EPP to be more proactive on a national level in promoting our values and supporting our candidates.

III. ONE INSTITUTION – SAME RULES Presently each country elects Members of the European Parliament according to its own voting system. This often results in considerable differences in the rules by which the MEPs from different countries have been elected. We consider the lack of a uniform voting system for the election of MEPs as major flaw in the process of constituting the legislature. Our considerations are as follows: Every Member of the European Parliament, regardless of the country where he or she was elected, represents not only their own voters but the entire European population. The MEP’s duty is to defend the interests of every European citizen.

Acts of every single MEP, regardless of the country where he or she was elected, may, if successfully implemented, equally influence every single citizen in each and every member state.

All MEPs, regardless of the country where they were elected, have the very same status and respective prerogatives, which include rights, obligations, and privileges.

Hence, we consider it natural, logical, and just to have a uniform system for the election of MEPs in all member states. We therefore encourage the EPP to initiate the necessary steps toward the harmonisation of the electoral legislation, in issues regarding elections to the European parliament.