European elections. Grandparents to grandchildren: “Don't take democracy for granted”

With just over a month to go before the next European elections, the campaign is in full swing. However, it has to be said that so far the political parties and leaders, both in Italy and abroad, have mostly engaged in skirmishes, squabbles and personalistic tirades, instead of presenting their 'vision of Europe' in a clear and resolute manner. But let us not despair...

Meanwhile, the European Parliament has launched the second part of its institutional campaign to encourage citizens to vote (there are 370 million eligible voters, 26 million of whom are voting for the first time), stressing the importance of democratic participation.

“Democracy is a collective responsibility - not towards a political idea or a specific cause - but towards each other,

said Jaume Duch Guillot, the European Parliament's spokesman and communication officer, at the launch of the second phase of the EP's communication campaign. Speaking at a media briefing in Brussels on 29 April, Mr Duch presented a package of election campaign resources and events designed to counter the spectre of abstention.

“We are more united in European democracy than we might think: across nations, political sensitivities and across generations. In our polarised times - Duch said - this is easy to forget and our campaign is made to remind us of what unites us.”  The campaign highlights the importance of voting to safeguard democracy.  In fact, the chosen slogan for the campaign is “Use your vote. Or others will decide for you”.

“European Union democracy is more important today than ever. Everyone’s vote matters. It will decide the direction our Union will take for the five coming years. It will decide what Europe we want to live in. In order not to let someone else choose for us, we should vote on 6-9 June 2024”, said Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, addressing the citizens of the 27 Member States.

The European Parliament has published its programme leading up to the elections, which includes, among other things,

the night-time lighting of monuments and public buildings across Europe to mark Europe Day on 9 May, (Rome’s Colosseum will be among the many Italian monuments lit up for the occasion).

Additionally, a Eurovision debate between the lead political candidates ("Spitzenkandidaten") running to be the next President of the Commission (Spitzenkandidat) will take place on the afternoon of 23 May.

The information campaign will be marked by a multimedia approach, encompassing events with the news media, digital promotion activity, the involvement of public and private partners, active citizenship initiatives, along with customised educational programmes for all European citizens. A short film, entitled 'Use your vote', has been created for this occasion (see below), featuring the testimonies of senior citizens from various EU countries. In this video, which lasts for approximately four minutes, the principal characters convey messages about the nature of democracy to younger generations. The messages are delivered through a grandparents-grandchildren narrative, with the overarching theme being that this fundamental right should never be taken for granted.

Gianni Borsa