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Europeans remain indifferent to EU developments By Shadaba Islam The European Union is gearing up for a heady few weeks as, in quick succession, the newly-expanded 25 nation bloc holds its first-ever transcontinental elections to the European Parliament, EU leaders convene for summit talks to try and clinch a new constitutional treaty and then get down to the equally difficult task of selecting a new president to head the European Commission. Policymakers in Brussels and other national capitals can currently think, talk and write about little else. Ironically, however, the people of Europe - even those in the ten new states which joined the EU just six weeks ago - remain largely indifferent to the landmark developments marking their continent. Elections to the European Parliament, from June 10-13, are certainly historic. It is the first time that 350 million old and new Europeans in 25 states will be voting simultaneously to elect 732 representatives to the EU assembly, the bloc's only democratically-elected institution. Once denounced as little more than a talk shop, the Parliament has been gradually spreading its wings and growing in influence and importance. It now plays a crucial role in fashioning EU policies both at home and abroad. But while the stakes may be high, voter interest in the forthcoming polls is low. Only about 50 per cent of people say they will cast their ballots on the election day - and the turnout could be lower if the sun comes out and people decide to head to the seaside. And those who will vote will probably be focusing on national issues rather than pan-European ones. Governments in Britain, Italy and Poland which have troops in Iraq are braced for an electoral backlash as voters vent their anger and frustration at continuing strife and bloodshed in the country. Spain's governing Socialists on the other hand are expected to win their second victory in three months due to the anti-Iraq war stance of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Dissatisfaction with domestic policies rather than Iraq is expected to take centre stage in Germany and France, the two countries which opposed the military campaign against Baghdad. Voters are widely expected to hit out at German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's unpopular economic and social reform agenda by boosting the election performance of the opposition Christian Democrats. In France, it is the Socialists who are expected to gain from rising public discontent at the policies of the centre-right government. Overall, analysts predict that centre-right parties will once again dominate the new EU assembly. And the parliamentary victors could this time around insist that the next president of the European Commission must be from among their ranks. Guessing who will replace current Commission chief Romano Prodi is in fact the second most talked-about development in EU circles. Several contenders have thrown their hat in the ring - although in typical Euro fashion, no one has done so officially. Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt is widely reported to be the front-runner, with EU heavyweights Germany and France backing him. Luxembourg's Premier Jean-Claude Juncker keeps saying he's not interested but is definitely a top favourite with many states, including Britain. But British Prime Minister Tony Blair also appears to be tilting towards Javier Solana, the Spanish- born current EU foreign and security policy chief. Chris Patten, the former Hong Kong governor and current external relations commissioner is also believed to be interested in the job as is trade commissioner Pascal Lamy. Which brings us to the EU constitution - and hopes that the long-elusive treaty will finally be clinched when EU leaders meet in Brussels on June 17-18. Ireland as current EU president is struggling uphill to try and secure agreement by then but bickering among governments over distributing voting rights - the issue which led to the collapse of treaty negotiations last December - has once again broken out. Complicating the already convoluted discussions are demands from heavily Catholic countries such as Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Czech Republic and Slovakia that the new constitution must include a reference to Christianity in its preamble. Spain which wanted a mention of God and Christianity when the conservative former premier Jose Maria Aznar was in power has now switched sides. The new Spanish socialist government opposes such a move. Secular France is especially adamant that an explicit reference to Christianity in the EU constitution would be an affront to Europe's Jewish and Muslim communities. French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier has underlined Islam's centuries-long presence in Spain, adding that it is also a majority religion in many Balkan states that may eventually join the EU. The EU is "a secular construction which respects the traditions and religions of every people", Barnier said. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has also said a reference to Christianity should be matched with a mention of other religions. But these deliberations, important as they are, have yet to stir Europeans from their apathy over practically all things linked to the EU. As a result despite efforts to secure greater public involvement, the Union remains a largely elite-driven enterprise. Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)
