Elections 2009 Leaves European Voters Cold

More than 50% of Europeans may not head for the polls to vote for European Parliament members, as they say they are not interested in the elections, shows a Eurobarometer opinion poll.

The survey concluded that "interest in the elections is not increasing". It surveyed 27 218 Europeans in mid-January to mid-February.

In the UK, 30% of respondents said they would definitely not vote for MEPs - far more than in other EU member states. The next largest "definitely not" group was in Poland - 19%. The EU average in that category was 15%.

About 1 000 people are polled in each member state in the standard Eurobarometer surveys, conducted twice-yearly.

In the first European elections, in 1979, voter turnout was 63%, but it has declined steadily, even though the European Parliament gained greater powers. In 2004 it was 45,7%.

The 2009 European elections will take place on 4-7 June 2009, for the first time across all 27 member states of the European Union, including Bulgaria, which joined in 2007. More than 375 million EU citizens will be called to elect 736 members of Parliament.

The 2009 ballot is the seventh round of European elections.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!