Before the elections, the European Parliament reminds of the importance of voting in democracy | Actual

Between 6 and 9 June 2024, more than 370 million people in 27 Member States are invited to vote in the European elections. Elections in Latvia will be held on Saturday, June 8.

“Vote! Don’t let others decide for you.” With such a guiding principle, the importance of democracy is emphasized in the campaign. The campaign is very diverse: various events are held, digital informational events, public and private sector partners are attracted, initiatives for public involvement are implemented, as well as educational programs, which are specially designed to address citizens throughout the European Union.

One such outreach event is a four-minute film called “Vote! Don’t let others decide for you.” In it, elderly people from different EU countries share their experiences of democracy with future generations. They emphasize that the right to democracy should not be taken for granted. This time there are also people from Latvia among the heroes of the video.

“Right now, democracy in the European Union is more important than ever. Your vote will decide which direction Europe will go in the next five years. By voting, you will decide what kind of Europe we want to live in,” said Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament. “Don’t let someone else decide for you – vote on June 8, 2024! Your voice matters.”

You can watch the film here, but the European Parliament’s multimedia center has the film and related materials available for download for mass media distribution.

Collective responsibility

There is no shortage of new challenges for the European Union. As the elections scheduled for June 2024 approach, the European Parliament reaffirms its commitment to promoting dialogue, unity and active citizenship. “Vote! Don’t let others decide for you.” is a powerful reminder that democracy is a precious heritage that we all must care for and protect.

“Democracy is a collective responsibility. It is not a responsibility for a specific political idea or a specific goal, but a responsibility for one another”. This was said by the press representative of the European Parliament, Žaumi Duc Guillot. “European democracy unites us more than we might think – it unites different peoples, different political opinions and different generations. In the age of controversy we live in, it is easy to forget this. We implement this campaign to remind us of what unites us.”

The campaign’s themed video takes a more concrete look at the tumultuous history experienced by many European countries: armed conflicts, the restriction of human freedom and the fragility of democracy if it is not actively nurtured.

Interest in the European elections is growing

More than half of eligible European voters (50.6%) voted in the 2019 elections. The spring 2024 European Parliament Eurobarometer survey of more than 26,000 respondents in all EU member states shows that 60% of Europeans are interested in the 6-9 2024 for the upcoming elections in June (in Latvia – 47%). In the entire EU, it is 11 percentage points more than in the spring of 2019 (three months before the previous European elections), in Latvia the increase is even higher – 14 percentage points. In addition, 71% (in Latvia – 65%) say that they are likely to vote, and this is also 10 percentage points (in Latvia – 17 percentage points) more than last time.

Judging by these results, more than four out of five Europeans agree that “voting is important to maintain a strong democracy” (86%, in Latvia – 78%) and that “voting is important to ensure a better future for future generations” (84% , in Latvia – 80%). More than eight out of ten Europeans (81%) believe that voting is even more important in the context of the current geopolitical situation (in Latvia – 76%).