On Monday, European Parliament liaison officer Christophe Schroeder stopped by RTL City to discuss this June’s elections with Today Radio’s Stephen, Meredith and Sasha on Sunny Side Up.
Christophe, who works to make the EU Parliament more accessible to citizens, emphasised how the elections offer residents the chance to impact the direction the EU will take over the coming years.
When asked why people should be getting involved, he explained that in a country as small as the Grand Duchy, every vote matters when it comes to choosing their representatives, as past mandates have been secured by very small majorities.
EU citizens in Luxembourg are able to cast their vote in the Grand Duchy, or in their home country, depending on their preference. Luxembourg sends a total of six MEPs to the European Parliament, which is made up of 720 representatives from across the bloc, allocated according to each country’s size and population.
Christophe argued that the advantage of voting in a smaller country such as Luxembourg is largely backed up by the numbers: just 600,000 people vote for Luxembourg’s six representatives, compared to 80 million voting for Germany’s 96 MEPs, for example. In Luxembourg, he said every voice matters. Not only that, but Luxembourg residents are more likely to meet their candidates in person!
The most important thing about European elections is the opportunity for Luxembourg to make decisions on an equal footing with its neighbours, Christophe explained. He added that at the last elections in 2019, Brexit was a key topic, although since then the EU has weathered storms such as the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The latter in particular highlights the importance of a strong union in keeping the peace, he said.
With regard to the recent cyber attacks on Luxembourgish institution websites, including MyGuichet, Christophe warned that disinformation campaigns are likely to pick up as the elections approach. He said that new legislation by the EU would aim to make social media giants responsible for the information shared on their platforms, but encouraged voters to seek out verified resources and media sources when considering candidates.
Elected MEPs will serve a five-year term. Candidates have to fulfil certain requirements that can be found on the page “Standing as a candidate in the European elections” on Guichet.lu. More information can be found on the official elections website in Luxembourg, or on the EU’s website (in 30 languages).
The European elections will take place on 9 June 2024 and are open to every EU citizen aged 18 and over, living within the EU, but voters must register first. The deadline for registration is 15 April at 5pm. Registration can be done online at MyGuichet.lu or in person at your local municipal council. Voting is compulsory for Luxembourgish citizens. Ballots can be sent in via post or from abroad providing that certain conditions are met.
Listen to the full interview below, or on RTL Play.
European Parliament liaison, Christoph Schroeder, stopped in to chat about the upcoming EU Parliament Elections and why everyone should vote.
