European Parliament Election: May 23-26, 2019

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Right now, the live TV debate between the "top candidates" for the European election, Frans Timmermans (PvdA/SPE) and Manfred Weber (CSU/EVP), is being aired on German state TV.
Although Timmermans is Dutch, his German is better than the English of many German politicians.
I remember how Green politician Ska Keller stammered around in English in a 2014 debate.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Who is winning?

Clearly Timmermans.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

The Dutch SP have come up with an ad that unusually harshly criticizes Frans Timmermans. It is really one big personal attack on Timmermans, portrayed as "Hans Brusselmans" who is some sort of elitist cartoon villain who hates ordinary people, throws referendum results in a fire and exhibits six out of the seven cardinal sins in pretty gross ways. The SP received a massive load of criticism for it, to which party chairman Ron Meyer responded that someone who attempts to become the next leader of the European Commission should be able to withstand a parody.

However, apart from bashing Timmermans the video doesn't offer a clear alternative vision on behalf of the SP (except for "no superstate"). I can imagine the video helping both the PvdA and the SP. I can also imagine it only helping the PvdA, as GL and D66 voters are drawn towards Timmermans in the first place.

Otherwise not much of a campaign going on yet. Here's the FVD ad: "Europe at a crossroads."

Timmermans postulated in yesterday's TV debate in Germany that Islam has belonged to Europe for over 2,000 years. Even though it has only existed since the 7th century... 

https://twitter.com/Hadmut/status/1129174046623567872

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

FPO will most likely remain in the 15-20 %. A drop indeed but not so severe, their base is too loyal.

I would be really surprised if they remain that high after these events ... 10-14% is more likely now. I think they will be cut in half, as most of their voters are either not turning out to vote at all next Sunday, or vote ÖVP.

Who do you think who was behind that campaign? I'd bet the farm that Böhmermann was the initiator.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

MEanwhile, the TV debate with all German top candidates were foregathering.
Only the green Power Ranger was missing.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

The European elections have begun.
The Netherlands and the United Kingdom are voting today.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol opened the polling station at 5 am local time.
Since 6:30 am the Amsterdamers have been able to vote at the poll site at the city's main station.
(Thus, the airport and the train station are something like The EU's Dixville Notch and Millsfield, respectively. )

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

EU poll for Germany:



Keep in mind that there is no threshold set for the election to the EU Parliament.
The parties that each sent one member to Strasbourg in 2014 were:
Free Voters (1.5%), Pirates (1.4%), Animal Protection Party (1.2%), NPD (1.0%), Family (0.7%), ÖDP (0.6%), Die PARTEI (0,6%).

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Today, it's Ireland's and Czechia's turn.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Projection by ARD for the entire European parliament



Mostly based on mix of exit polls and opinion polls (i.e. take with a huge grain of salt since no results from FR, IT etc.)

They also showed an alternative composition of the EU Parliament with a new right-wing faction that the AfD wants to create and join.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

What 2 decades can do to party systems...

So, that means this emo guy made to the parliament?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Interesting: Catalonian politician Carles Puigdemont, who had already been in custody in my home state of Schleswig-Holstein, but eventually been remanded on bail by the state's constitutional court, has won a seat for his Partit Demòcrata Europeu Català. However, he's living in exile in Belgium, and in order to be allowed to assume his seat, he has to pledge allegiance to the Spanish constitution. In Madrid! But should he be going to travel there, he would be immediately arrested for rebellion. He's being a bit in a quandary right now... 🤷‍♂️

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Why did Die Partei's 2 MEPs split?

Because Semsrott can accomplish more when being a member of a parliamentary group.

https://twitter.com/nicosemsrott/status/1135901134869147649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%...

"As a single MEP, you can accomplish little. As a member of the "realo" wing of DIE PARTEI I'm therefore accommodating the Green faction with me. Welcome, dear Greens!"

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Which also means that Sonneborn - unlike Semsrott - doesn't want to accomplish anything. Sonneborn wants to continue his role as court jester which means he doesn't have to be a member of a parliamentary group... maybe it would even be detrimental to that goal.

Correct. He just recently voted against a legal prohibition of conversion therapies cause he "wants" to impose the death penalty on the "therapists"...

I wish Serdar Somuncu would have run the second seat. He already fared very well in the former Ströbele constituency in the last federal election, and he would be a no-nonsense politician.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

URSULA VON DER LEYEN?

Eyperience tells us that this attempt to install her as Commission President will fail, since Merkel's previous attempts to make VdL a) her own heir apparent and b) President of Germany (the job went instead to Christian Wulff who turned out a dud and was replaced by Gauck after two years) had failed. And that meant only going up against the CDU and not Viktor Orban and Matteo Salvini. That being said, the aforementioned creatures seem to remain pretty silent on the VdL nomination issue so far. Is it because they're already tired of this sh**t and consider successfully vetoing Timmermans and Vestager as a win they should better take home now? Still somewhat ironic if we end up with a 100% Merkel loyalist as Commission President. To bad it's also someone way past her (political) prime.

Remember when Merkel shunted anglicist and computer scientist Günther Oettinger off to the EU Commission? That institution is merely a trash dump for incompetent, workshy politicians.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

I wonder if the Germanism Spitzenkandidat will become establish in the English language one day.
Americans love German words containing a z. 🤗

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

In what matters way more in my opinion, Lagarde will become head of the ECB and the PM of Belgium Charles Michel will be Council President. Also is this just a way to open the defence ministry for AKK?
No idea if s&d fraction will go along with this, but if they dont there is no chance she will be confirmed.

Nooooooo!!! How dare you! I hope Merkel won't read your comment.
On the other hand, it can't get much worse than now, though, and we would finally get rid of Uschi.
And AKK reminds me of my deputy instructor during my conscription, anyway.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Also is this just a way to open the defence ministry for AKK?

AKK has already declined.

Who do you predict will become Uschi's successor? Her predecessor Thomas de Maizière?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Uschi now has her own official Twitter account 😁 😂 🤣:

https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1146408775689129985

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Commission-Presidental nominee Uschi has been questioned by the MEP for over an hour now. Prior to that she had delivered an impassioned speech.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Von der Leyen is trying very hard to sway S&D/Green votes in her favour by announcing a "Green deal", supporting more efforts to save refugees from the Mediterranean Sea, and attacking Nigel Farage.

Could potentially backfire if this scares away ECR/Fidesz MEPs she has to depend on. The Green group had already voted last week to oppose VdL. Maybe it will convince some social dems though.

I wish we could just elect the Commission President directly instead in order to avoid all that hodgepodge.
Apropos of election, the ballot voting begins at 6 pm CEST.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

The election is beginning in some minutes.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

YES: 383   ✓
NO: 327
abstentions: 23 (blank votes: 22 | void: 1)

votes cast: 733

374 votes needed

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Although I don't like Uschi, I don't begrudge her her election victory.
I still remember how disparagingly she was dumped by her own party when she so badly wanted to become President Köhler's successor in 2010. And what loser did we eventually get??? 😒

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Oh, Zensursula-Flintenuschi is bad enough on this post...

You forgot "Raketen-Ursel". That's what my friends from the Bundeswehr call her. And yes, she wasn't respected whatsoever by the soldiers in general...