EU Parliamentary elections – Yes, this time I’m voting

By Madalina Paxaman, photos by © European Union 2019 – Source: EP

Like many others, I too have often wondered about what European Union means to me and to us, as ordinary people. In this period of uncertainty, there are many voices who state that the EU is obsolete, who are disappointed in this union, who think their vote today will not lead to an improvement of their lives.

Yet, there are many reasons why we should care about the EU existence and, moreover, why we should take part in the European Parliamentary elections.

Plenary session at European Parliament in April 2019 (photo: © European Union 2019 – Source: EP)

Here are a few reasons why the European Union is an important construction and why it is important to vote for the EU Parliament at today’s elections:

• Coming from an EU country we have the right to work, live and study (often tuition free) in any of the member states.
• Being an EU citizen guarantees that our working rights (paid holidays, paid sick days) are respected.
• Our children’s rights are protected regardless where we reside within the EU.
• We can easily travel anywhere within the EU without the need for visas and without experiencing daunting bureaucratic procedures.
• Our entrepreneurial initiatives are supported by the European Union. The Union encourages private sector development and regional economic integration and provides developing and supporting aid for trade programmes.
• Respect for human dignity, human rights and the rights of minorities, for tolerance, for pluralism and for freedom of religious expression are important for all of us. These are all pillars on which the EU was founded.
• Successfully fighting terrorism can only be achieved only through trans-frontier cooperation. The member-states have worked towards improving cooperation between our security services, by tightening controls on firearms, by creating a dedicated body to curb terrorist propaganda and by strengthening our external borders.
• Climate change is a reality and we need to act now. The European Environment Agency protects the natural world and the natural habitats that are essential to our planet, our societies, our economies and our well-being.

European Parliament in April 2019 (photo: © European Union 2019 – Source: EP)

Remember that your vote influences how the European Parliament decides on matters that affect your daily life, it gives the European Union the strength to protect you and your family and last but not least, your vote defends democracy.

If you are still not sure how you can vote for the EU elections 2019, visit: https://www.european-elections.eu/how-to-vote/denmark?otherEUcountry=y and https://www.yourvotematters.co.uk/how-do-i-vote.

The polling stations close at 20.00 today.