{"id":20407,"date":"2019-01-25T14:49:14","date_gmt":"2019-01-25T13:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/?p=20407"},"modified":"2019-11-06T09:47:34","modified_gmt":"2019-11-06T08:47:34","slug":"eu-elections-are-coming-up-in-may-heres-why-you-should-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/story\/20407\/eu-elections-are-coming-up-in-may-heres-why-you-should-care\/","title":{"rendered":"EU elections are coming up in May \u2013 here\u2019s why you should care"},"content":{"rendered":"

Between 23 and 26 May, people across the European Union will be voting for the members of the next European Parliament.<\/p>\n

Here are three reasons why you should vote:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Action

Action at Power Plant Niederaussem in Germany – Aerial View<\/p><\/div>\n

    \n
  1. There are just over ten years left to avoid climate chaos and we can\u2019t do it without the EU<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The science is clear: UN experts say<\/a> we have just over a decade to make serious changes to avoid a climate catastrophe. The stakes have never been higher, and the EU is best placed to lead a global response to climate change.<\/p>\n

    In the next five years the EU will decide how it responds to problems like climate change<\/a> and air pollution, and how it changes the farming<\/a> and transportation systems. Some political parties are placing climate change high on their agendas, some others like the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Germany<\/a> have climate-change deniers among their candidates and some like the New Flemish Alliance (NVA)<\/a> in Belgium block attempts to fight climate change in their country.<\/p>\n

    People across Europe, and beyond, are already dealing with the terrible impacts of climate change \u2013 from droughts to wild fires, from floods to violent storms and rising sea levels. It is time to say no to politicians who put corporate interests over the good of people and planet. Let\u2019s vote for people who care about the survival of humanity and the natural world.<\/p>\n

    \"Heroes\u2019

    Civil society group organised a non-violent event on the iconic Heroes\u2019 Square in Budapest.<\/p><\/div>\n

      \n
    1. It\u2019s not just our environment that\u2019s at risk \u2013 our right to defend it is in danger too<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Nationalist and authoritarian parties have gained ground in many European countries. Freedoms many people take for granted \u2013 like freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and the right to protest \u2013 are threatened.<\/p>\n

      Our rights are under attack, from Spain\u2019s gag law<\/a> to Hungary\u2019s anti-NGO law<\/a>, from the French prime minister\u2019s proposals to restrict the right to demonstrate<\/a> to Poland\u2019s laws undermining the judiciary<\/a>, from Belgium\u2019s law allowing for the deportation of legal residents<\/a> to Denmark’s \u2018ghetto law\u2019 giving different sentences based on where a crime is committed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

      The European Parliament and Commission can challenge these laws, as the Parliament<\/a> has done by requesting sanctions against the Hungarian government and as the Commission<\/a> has done by starting a sanctions process against Poland\u2019s government. The European elections are a chance to show authoritarian politicians that they will not go unchallenged. It\u2019s your chance to demand that politicians stand up for a fair and equal society, which does not abuse our rights, or our planet.<\/p>\n

      \"Protest

      Romanians protest defence of democracy and\u00a0 the Rule of Law<\/p><\/div>\n

        \n
      1. The EU isn\u2019t perfect \u2013 let\u2019s fix it!<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        The European Union is far from perfect, few things are. On the other hand, the EU has made some great things possible \u2013 higher air quality, bans on toxic chemicals, cleaner water and better waste management, for example. Since many of the problems we face \u2013 like climate change, pollution and mass extinctions, as well as issues like migration \u2013 cross our borders, we have to tackle them together.<\/p>\n

        Xenophobic, nationalist parties are already working together<\/a> and want to control the European Parliament. They see these European elections as their chance to reshape Europe. If they win, they will not only have an impact on immigration policy, they will also clamp down on democratic freedoms and speed up climate catastrophe.<\/p>\n

        Democracy works for us when we work for democracy. We will never improve our governments by not voting.<\/strong><\/p>\n

        The European elections are crucial for climate action. For whether the EU will work for the few or the many.<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Find out how to vote where you live<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Laura Ullmann is communications officer with Greenpeace EU Unit.\u00a0<\/em>Activist and elections campaigner Arvin Alaigh contributed to this post.<\/em><\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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