Simon Hix and Christophe Crombez
''Just under a year from now, on 22-25 May 2014, EU citizens will vote in the most important European Parliament elections to date. They will be an opportunity for European citizens to express their views about how Europe’s leaders have addressed the crisis in the Eurozone. Furthermore, the elections will provide a mandate for, or a break against, the plans for further political and economic integration in Europe. They will produce a new political majority in the European Parliament, which will influence how the EU and the single market will be governed for the next five years. And, above all, with rival candidates for the Commission President before the elections, this will be the first time we, as European citizens, will be able to choose who holds the most powerful executive office in the EU.
''Just under a year from now, on 22-25 May 2014, EU citizens will vote in the most important European Parliament elections to date. They will be an opportunity for European citizens to express their views about how Europe’s leaders have addressed the crisis in the Eurozone. Furthermore, the elections will provide a mandate for, or a break against, the plans for further political and economic integration in Europe. They will produce a new political majority in the European Parliament, which will influence how the EU and the single market will be governed for the next five years. And, above all, with rival candidates for the Commission President before the elections, this will be the first time we, as European citizens, will be able to choose who holds the most powerful executive office in the EU.
The issue that has dominated politics in Europe in recent years has
been the Eurozone crisis, and the merits of following an austerity
policy to combat it. Cuts in public spending in Eurozone member states
have largely been imposed by the EU, by the European Commission as well
as by the EU governments. Nearly every national election since the onset
of the crisis in early 2010 has been fought on the issue of austerity
and the consequent relations with the EU. Far from European elections
being national elections these days, national elections have started to
become European elections..''
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