European Parliament’s election campaign focusses on history to mobilise voters

6 months ago 29

European Parliament is pulling on historical heartstrings to increase voter turnout in June’s European elections, with the launch of its campaign on Monday (28 April), which takes a look back at citizens’ experiences with war and dictatorships.

Last week, Parliament held its last plenary session in its current composition before the 6-9 June Vote. With a 50.66% voter turnout in 2019, in the shadow of Brexit, the institution is keen to increase numbers.

“The idea is to convey the message: Use your voice; don’t let democracy be taken away so easily. It is not given, and you have to defend it,” a spokesperson of the Parliament told Euractiv.

Amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and anti-democratic trends in Europe, the continent’s history with democracy was a focus of the campaign.

The video shows Europeans reminding their grandchildren of their experiences with dictatorships and war and the achievements of European peace.

“Because there are different opinions about the EU, the decision favoured a pro-democracy campaign,” the spokesperson said, adding that people would be hard-pressed to find anything against this stance.

The campaign clearly warns the public: Democracy is in danger. “Use your vote. Or others will decide for you.”

The message is underlined by eyewitnesses reflecting on the Second World War, touching on the Holocaust and the Nazi invasion of France, the Prague Spring of 1968 and the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

The European Parliament has an allocated budget of €37million to spend on its campaign, which equates to €0.08 per voting-eligible EU citizen.

To use this budget effectively, the Parliament has also enlisted the help of influencers and creators to raise awareness of the institution and the elections.

[Edited by Oliver Noyan/Alice Taylor]