European elections – main challenges for regions and municipalities
Mark your calendars: European Elections take place 6-9 June 2024.
These elections take place under different circumstances than the previous ones. There’s a prevailing sentiment that the European Union feels distant to many people. They might struggle to grasp what the EU represents and stands for, and what they should vote for.
Yet, we are also facing new challenges: we have lived through difficult times and the future seems uncertain. Recent polls and studies suggest that many young people are sceptical about the prospect of a brighter future.
In Finland, we celebrate the day of social equality on 19 March, in honour of Minna Canth, a writer and social activist born on this date in 1844. She famously said: “When will freedom, equality and love be true in this worm-eaten world?”
We have to convince people that freedom, equality and love can be realities in our future.
Communicating the idea of continuity and the status quo is often simpler than advocating for change. This is why anti-European voices are strong, as it is far easier to instil fear with climate policies rather than confront the climate crisis head-on and openly discuss the benefits of a carbon-neutral future for both people and the economy.
To effectively communicate change, we have to articulate it in concrete terms: applying cohesion policy to address disparities, pursuing nature restoration policy to preserve natural environments – including in cities, and pushing for corporate responsibility to eliminate products manufactured with child labour.
All the current crises are caused by humans, and therefore humans can also find the solution.
The European Green Party (EGP) set out eleven priorities in their Manifesto for the European elections under the title “Courage to Change“. We, the Greens, want to involve everyone in their rich diversity, and invite citizens to be the change that Europe needs.
Greens in the CoR members support the campaigns of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament and activities of the EGP. At the EGP Electorate Congress held in February, we organised an interactive session on mobilising voters, where approximately 80 participants exchanged ideas and insights based on their experiences.
We can improve the quality of life, protect the rights and freedoms that we hold dear and make EU a force for peace and justice around the world.
The core message is: the choice is yours. The future of our societies and our planet is in your hands. Your vote will shape the direction of the European Union for the next five years. Make your vote count.