EU-28. 84 TV channels, including Japan’s NHK, America’s CNBC, BBC1 in the UK and several international channels covered Wednesday’s debate among the presidential candidates. According to data collected by the European Parliament’s monitoring services, the show was mentioned on TV in 26 countries. Check here for the replay.
AUSTRIA. Healthier ways to cook Viennese scallops and French fries made it into the headlines of the campaign, to underpin a call for more subsidiarity. Find out what the EU has done to improve food quality and safety over the past five years in the multimedia package “Food safety” free for download.
BULGARIA. A discussion on “Lead candidates in the European elections 2019: a clash of ideas on the Future of Europe” will take place on 16 May in the House of Europe in Sofia. The event, hosted by the EP Liaison Office and the Commission representation in Bulgaria, will take place one day after the main debate between lead candidates in Brussels, and is open to the public and media.
CROATIA. A former MEP assistant, Karlo Ressler (29) became a leading candidate on the government party/s HDZ list, which is part of the EPP group in the EP. Check out all Croatian lists.
FINLAND. The Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees is organising a seminar on the role of Finland in defining the future of the EU on 17 May. The programme includes an election panel discussion among MEP candidates.
FRANCE: The European Parliament’s Open Day in Strasbourg, on Sunday 19 May, will focus on the European elections, one week before the vote takes place. The event, both informative and festive, will allow visitors to become more familiar with the work of MEPs and its impact on their daily lives. The programme will alternate debates with MEPs in the Chamber and musical, artistic and choreographic activities.
GREECE. Athens gets ready for the elections at the Party for Europe on 17 May at the Athens Conservatory. Artists, speakers, filmmakers, journalists, academics and DJs will set the tone in a celebration of European unity and democracy. The event is organised by the Athens Parliament office, with the contribution of This Time I’m Voting volunteers. A similar event in Thessaloniki last Sunday attracted over 3,500 young people.
LATVIA. Latvian voters can find the candidate who reflects their values by answering a set of questions on their preferences on EU policies. The tool was developed by the national broadcaster, a think tank and a social psychologist.
THE NETHERLANDS. Stichting Nederlanders in het buitenland (the iInstitution for Dutch citizens living abroad) created a special European elections ’vote tracker’ for Dutch citizens living abroad to indicate if they received their voting documents in time. Many people filled it in during the previous elections, pushing the Dutch government to improve the voting process for people outside the national borders. Around 62.000 Dutch voters who live abroad have registered for the European elections.
PORTUGAL. Five main changes to the electoral law make their debut at the European elections: new rules for early voting; Portuguese citizens residing abroad with a citizen’s card are automatically included in the voter register; the end of voters’ numbers; the provision of a Braille matrix for citizens with visual impairments and an e-voting pilot project in the Evora district. Website of the National Election Committee (Comissao Nacional de Eleicoes)
SLOVENIA. The series of electoral debates on public television TV Slovenija will continue tonight. The first debate of the evening will include the candidates from the parties currently in the Slovenian Parliament, while the second is going to present those who come from nonparliamentary parties. Watch the first debate online.
UK (NORTHERN IRELAND). The DUP and Sinn Fein have launched their election manifestos for the 2019 European elections in Northern Ireland. Both parties are hoping to retain one seat each in the European Parliament.
By: N. Peter Kramer
