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Only 43% voted: Europe needs a puzzle board

by screenpunk | June 8, 2009 at 08:30 am

356 views | 48 Recommendations | 8 comments

At the European Elections 2009 only 43% of the Europeans voted. Parties to the right got more parliamental chairs, left wing socialist parties lost. But the big loser of the elections seems to be the European Union itself. More than half of the population does not believe in Europe so much as to make a statement for it.

So Europe has to become more important in Europe. Thats maybe why on de Albert Cuypmarkt in Amsterdam they are selling these puzzleboards today .. children can fit in all the countries to obtain a better understanding of Europe .. an attachment that may deliver votes when the little people become big people.

The market salesman must have an allround perspective .. he also put up a board with the Dutch provinces on it .. the Dutch provincial elections being an election where usually also only about half of the population shows up.

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Jordan Yerman

at 10:10 on June 8th, 2009

I like this post, but it would benefit from a more subject-specific headline. (i.e. 43% of what?)

screenpunk

at 10:18 on June 8th, 2009

thanks jordan, this is my first textpost and i am fiddling .. i had your thought but now i am thinking .. people will look to find out ;-) .. let me consider

screenpunk

at 10:49 on June 8th, 2009

took your advise

Uwe Paschen

at 12:07 on June 8th, 2009

Nice.

screenpunk

at 12:21 on June 8th, 2009

hi paschen .. i am new here .. concepts & things fly around over my mailbox .. not quite understanding what all means .. thanks for the recommendation and comment

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 13:48 on June 8th, 2009

I think people are fed up with politicians all over the world. The latest voter turn out was also the lowest it has ever been in Alberta and the recent BC election. I think it has less to do with whether or not people believe in Europe.

I grant that nationalism is still strong among the baby boomers, but I feel that the younger set is more mobile and likes what Europe has to offer. That is at least the read I get from my relatives still living in Europe.

Uwe Paschen

at 18:00 on June 8th, 2009

I know you lived in Europe Roy. I respect you point of view, yet can not agree with it.

Sorry, Europe will grow together, slowly but certainly will. It is not giving up powers, it is gaining powers and it will evolve and eventually include North Africa and the Middle east as well in a new Federation. Give time and by the end of this century you wont even recognize Europe any longer and still have Italian and Greek values and cultures.

60 years ago most would have talked as you do now and said they will never ever be a EU.

Well, fortunately most where wrong. I am all for it and so are my Cousins and especially their children and friends. Ireland is still a young member and yet benefited greatly from the EU and they to will grow and their Children will help change Europe for the better.

Unless our pollution kills us first of course.

screenpunk

at 22:13 on June 8th, 2009

Wow guys you have been busy when i was on one ear dreaming of a strong and unified europe ;)

I think we (Europeans) need a better transnational organisation not to be small in relation to other powers that are big and growing in the world (economic tiger Asia, the Muslim world, as always the US that considers the world its backyard, Africa that is jumping) .. fragmentation (as in the case with the former Soviet Union and Jugoslavia) only means the uprise of nationalistic sentiments and bloodshet.

It is not so much if there is a historical movement towards a unified Europe or not .. we néed history to move in that direction .. and how? that is maybe the puzzle the puzzle board is expressing.