Next Sunday, 9 June, is the EU elections. But why do they matter and how will they affect us on a local, regional, national and international level?
Spain’s political parties have already begun campaigning. You’ll probably see activists doing tables on squares, by metro stations and on busy streets, handing out flyers and engaging with the public to try and persuade voters to vote for them.
It’s not immediately obvious how the EU affects our day-to-day lives, but it really does. On a local level, your vote can influence emissions, urban greening and reliance on cars. You have a say on crime prevention and security monitoring in our streets, and how much money goes into building safe and affordable housing. The EU has the power to boost jobs and youth employment, and migrants’ access to healthcare and education.
On a national level, Spain is a border country of the EU, yet we don’t have much of a say over how we manage migration – Brussels decides. The EU has the most deadly border regime in the world which, year on year, results in a record number of lives lost.
I’m part of a team of journalists who, last year, published an investigation where we found over 1000 unmarked graves lining Europe’s borders. This barbaric reality for migrants and their families is decided by the EU and, as right and far-right parties continue making significant gains across Europe, EU migration policy is set to get even worse.
Climate change is in your EU vote. Vote left and we’ll see more funding for renewable energies and rail networks. Without your vote, a move to the right could halt climate laws and affect how many fires our bomberxs must fight every summer. And then there’s our farmers – why has the price of olive oil doubled in a year? You decide.
On a scale beyond the EU, your vote affects military aid to Ukraine and humanitarian aid to Gaza. We can influence the European Commission’s condemnation of the Israeli government’s horrific violations of international law against the Palestinian people.
If you’re an EU citizen, you are already automatically registered to vote, so make sure you do.
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