EU elections

[lisa_thecat]

I just came home from voting for the EU elections. I voted for the party that seemed the most pro-european, even if I dislike some of their electible candidates. Anyway, I said I would vote for them with the first occasion, when at the pro-family (ant-gay) referendum they were the ONLY political party in Romania that was pro gay rights, pro gay

Comments

[rock_dinosaur]

The anti-European parties and politicians in the UK have built their campaigns on corruption and lies too, but they've been relentlessly promoted by the BBC and the big newspapers for many years, and unfortunately people are incapable of questioning what they're told. As I write this, it looks pretty certain the the UK will be leaving the UK, and probably without an agreed deal, because there's no chance of Theresa May's withdrawal agreement being passed by the London parliament, and the EU aren't going to reopen negotiations. At least, I hope they won't, because this ridiculous shambles has carried on for far too long already. If I were a committed member-country of the EU, I think I'd be happy to get rid of the UK and its hostile, arrogant, unco-operative attitude in any case.

This all leaves us in Scotland facing a very uncertain future. We voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU, and the EU will probably be happy to take us back when Scotland becomes independent. But first, we have to cross the difficult hurdle of breaking free from the UK.

[lisa_thecat]

The truth is the always UK has an attitude of superiority and they demanded and got special treatment in the US. But Brexit means losses for everybody. Mostly for the UK, I think, if they get out without a deal and it looks like it. The referendum that brought Brexit was won by the nationalists because people were very uninformed about the real consequences. People are so easily manipulated, sometimes one wonders if democracy really functions anymore.

Scotland leaving the UK seems like a very radical change and I assume by now people are already frightened of changes with unpredictable results.

[rock_dinosaur]

I went by bus to visit my mother in Dunfermline today, and shortly after the bus had left the bus station I noticed a building with a large queue of people stretching out of the entrance and around the corner. I wondered what was happening, and as the bus passed by I saw that it was the Romanian embassy with lots of Romanians queuing up to vote. I wouldn't imagine that all the Romanians living in Scotland would be voting for anti-EU parties!

As for the way the UK government has conducted itself towards Europe, it's just embarrassing to me. They seem to think we're still fighting WWII and they're scoring points over the Germans. This is stuff that should have been laid to rest decades ago. Most people alive today weren't even born in 1945.

[lisa_thecat]

The Romanians from the diaspora all voted for parties that are pro-european. They are very much against the social-democrats and blame them for the way the elections were organised abroad. The long lines and waiting for hours to be able to vote-this is not normal. There are thousands that didn't get to vote at all before the elections were closed, even if they traveled far and waited long hours in line. According to exitpolls in Romania pro-european parties have won. The social democrats suffered a defeat. A deafeat even if they have 25%. Their huge campaing including assistance from the Church, didn't help them. They lost a lot of support from 45% in 2016....

[rock_dinosaur]

After I saw the big queue of people at the Romanian embassy that day, I saw it reported on the internet that the same thing had happened with Romanians queuing to vote elsewhere in the UK, and possibly not being able to. Also, it's been reported that tens-of-thousands of people from EU countries who are living in the UK weren't able to vote due to bureaucratic fuck-ups, whether deliberate or otherwise. It certainly looks suspicious, but it's scandalous even if these people weren't deliberately denied their right to vote.

The good news as far as Scotland is concerned is that the pro-EU parties won here by a huge majority. However, in England, the anti-EU parties won by a similar majority. Scotland and England are travelling in opposite directions, and although Scotland isn't an independent nation yet, I'm glad we're heading in the direction of being pro-European and welcoming to people of all races and nationalities.

[lisa_thecat]

Scotland has always been more oriented towards Europe and progress in general. Scotland and England are pulling in different directions now, that's clear. I think the English are more easily manipulated by the hatred propaganda.

The huge scandal with thousands of Romanians unable to vote abroad because of the way the voting process was organized led to nothing. The minister responsible, from the social democrat party who lost the EU elections, refused to present his resignation. The social democrats are hanging onto their seats tight now, because they know they are losing and they want to keep the power for as long as possible.

[rock_dinosaur]

Yes, the present UK government is doing the same. It's inevitable that big changes are coming and I'm sure they know it: if a general election is called, it's predicted they'll lose. Yet they're carrying on as if nothing is happening. I suppose this shows the desperation of politicians for money and power. In the UK, they'll be given a position in the House of Lords even if they lose their seats as MPs, so it's no wonder they're so desperate to cling on.