EU Parliamentary elections: Day one of voting is over as polls close in the Netherlands and Britain

Day one of voting is over as polls close in the Netherlands and UK

Exit Polls show Dutch Labor Party the big winner in the elections as Ultra-Right-wing populists  of the Baudet and Wilders groupings did not do as well as expected  

Read more at:
https://www.euronews.com/2019/05/23/britain-and-netherlands-kick-off-eu-elections-votes

EU Elections: The US (Trump and Steve Bannon supported), Russian, and European Ultra-Right Wing disinformation networks discovered in Europe

'Vast' far-right disinformation networks discovered in EU

Read more at:
https://p.dw.com/p/3IrBu

EU Elections: Opponents of nationalism rally before EU vote

Tens of thousands of people opposed to right-wing populism and nationalism have taken to the streets in European cities ahead of the European Parliament elections from May 23.

Demonstrations were held on Sunday in more than 50 cities in 13 countries, including Germany and France.

In Berlin, organizers say more than 20,000 people took part in the rally and marched on the streets for about two hours.

They oppose intolerance against refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. They are also against nationalists who prioritize their countries' interests and claim that they should restore sovereignty from the EU.

One demonstrator told NHK that Europe should not be governed by ultra-right political parties that could try to destroy democracy.

Another participant said European countries should be united to solve the problems they are facing.

Note EU-Digest: During this past Sunday's demonstrations throughout Europe against the extreme right-wing populist parties and their leaders, including Matteo Salvini in Italy, Marine Le Pen in France, Geert Wilders and Thierry Baudet in the Netherlands, Jorg Meuthen in Germany, Nigel Farage in England, etc., it might be good, again, to remind voters participating in the upcoming European elections, that all these populists are Donald Trump 's buddies, who spend a lot of time talking nonsense, like he does, but have never achieved anything concrete in heir lives. 

They are however masters in promising castles in the sky. Hopefully you the voter will not be seduced by these deceitful populists? Europe belongs to us all. Nationalism has never worked in Europe and has no place in the EU.
 
Read more at: Opponents of nationalism rally before EU vote - News - NHK WORLD - English

EU Presidency: Herman Van Rompuy: ‘A huge majority want to stay in the union and the eurozone’

The eurosceptic backlash in the recent European elections was a major shock to the EU establishment.

Large numbers of people voted for anti-European parties across the bloc. In France Marine Le Pen’s Front National won 25 percent of the ballot, while in Britain the UK Independence Party (UKIP) bettered that still, with 27 percent of the poll.

Against that backdrop euronews’ Isabelle Kumar spoke to Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council . In addition to discussing the political ramifications of the EU election result and what it means for Europe, Rompuy also spoke about the crisis between the EU, Ukraine and Russia, his future plans, and his love for Haiku poetry.

Play the video ( click on link below)  to watch the full interview

Dutch EU elections: 'Are you for or against Europe?' - for say a large majority

On a recent Saturday afternoon in January, volunteers in the Dutch city of Utrecht were handing out soup and hot chocolate on behalf of the ruling coalition’s centre-left Labour Party. There was an open air event, with speeches and music, to mark the beginning of its electoral campaign.

This does not mean that Dutch voters are already thinking about the May elections to the European Parliament, however.

Labour held the Utrecht event because there are local elections on 19 March: The EU elections are barely on the public's radar.

While over half of respondents to a recent poll knew there will be another election this year, only a quarter knew that it will be for the EU parliament. Just three percent were able to pinpoint the date: 22 May.Interior minister Ronald Plasterk, a Labour member, expects the campaigns for the two elections to be “very distinct” from each other.

“The campaign for the European elections will be about the question 'are you for or against Europe’,” he told this website, referring to the prevailing issue on people's minds.

He added that the question "doesn't make sense."

But at the same time, the “are you in or are you out” of the EU framework, which British Prime Minister David Cameron has put on the agenda in Britain, is popular in the Netherlands too.

Three days after the Labour event, a group of eurosceptics gathered in the Dutch parliament in The Hague.

Some 63,000 people signed a citizens’ initiative to “stop the creeping transfer of powers to the EU” and to demand a referendum if more powers are transferred to Brussels. The spokesperson for the initiative was invited to speak to parliament on the issue.

A majority of MPs (112 to 38) voted No to a proposed referendum for the next potential transfer of powers, however. 

A Cameron-style referendum on leaving the EU altogether received even less support. Only the Socialist Party (15 seats), the Party for Freedom (14 seats), and an MP who recently left the Freedom party, voted in favour. 

Note EU-Digest: "the  eurosceptics are living in a dream world and need to do a reality check - only a United Europe makes any sense in today's world if Europe wants to benefit economically by having a voice in the Global Power structure ", said a Dutch Parliamentarian.

Read more: EUobserver / Dutch EU elections: 'Are you for or against Europe?'