In Estonia, defense is the priority in this year’s European Parliament elections; for the future, the possibility of voting from the age of 16 is being discussed
First-time voters are aware that the choice must be made carefully in this geopolitical time
Classmates Georg and Riharda met with Latvian Radio in Tallinn’s old town a month before the European Parliament elections. The boys admitted that on the sunny day they left the lessons a little earlier – it was not possible to sit on the bench. For them, this is the last year of high school, they have the same things on their minds as young people of the same age in Latvia – what to do in the summer, where to study after high school. And, more importantly, how compulsory military service could affect life, which was also introduced in Estonia. Georg has already decided that he wants to study not only at the bachelor’s level, but also at the master’s level. If he has to serve in the middle, he will not be pleasant, although he is ready to defend his country if necessary. However, Rihards is adamant that he will apply for the service himself – it doesn’t matter that he has to postpone his studies for a year.
Richard (from left) and Georg
Photo: Ieva Puķe/Latvijas Televīziju
“I have to say, many friends are afraid of the service, but not me – I’m more excited than afraid, I want to have this experience,” Rihards said.
Friends, this election to the European Parliament is also the first time you can vote. The lists were published just the day before the meeting with Latvian Radio, so the young people had not yet been checked. However, both also agreed that in these difficult geopolitical times, it is necessary to take a careful look before making a choice. In what the boys said, you can also feel disappointment in the politicians.
For example, Richard said: “If you talk about the stupid jokes and all the content they put on social media, at some point you can’t take it seriously anymore. I think they need to be more honest, or maybe they should. Won’t you try so hard?”
Some Estonian politicians employ influencers
In fact, a month before the elections, the streets of Tallinn were not full of outdoor advertisements, this time they are marked by hunting voters’ votes on the Internet, especially trying to appeal to made for young audiences. The boys interviewed by Latvijas Radio admitted that they do not consume much radio, television and print media – also because the content is too depressing. Getting news from social networks.
In Estonia, there are politicians who hire influencers to create pre-election content on internet platforms. According to the public media portal ERR.ee, for example, social democratic candidate Natalia Metsa’s “TikTok” account is filled by the influencer Līsa Ān.
Latvijas Radio: Who is the most popular influencer in Estonia?
George: Well, I have paid the most attention to Juri Ratas.
Richard: Yes, Juri Ratass!
Latvijas Radio: But he is also a politician running for election!
George: I don’t know if he is a candidate for the European Parliament, but he is a new politician at the “Isamaa” party, and very active in social networks.
Latvijas Radio: I saw their “TikTok” video – we plant tomatoes.
George: Yes, yes, he does all kinds of things.
Latvijas Radio: And young people like it?
George: I haven’t really talked to other people, but I think it’s nice.
Not only the candidate of the national conservative political party “Isamaa” Ratas, but also, for example, the only candidate of the party “Koos” (Latvian – “Together”), which is considered pro-Kremlin , 53 years old. Aivo Petersons is active on the “TikTok” platform.
This leads to caution when assessing the impact of social media on young and politically inexperienced voters.
Political scientist: Estonian voters do not want a “white prince” in every election
However, the political scientist Veiko Spolītis, who stands with one foot in his mother’s homeland of Estonia, consoled: surprises in the Estonian European Parliament elections are less likely than in Latvia. He said: “The Estonian voter does not want a white prince who brings something republican, nationally new in every election.”
The appearance of the radical left Peterson on the horizon is also the same surprise, but not unexpected, as he has already created an active campaign on social media for the Estonian parliamentary elections last year.
“Unlike Latvia, the political party system in Estonia has stabilized,” Spolītis said, “There are liberals – the Reform Party of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, the party “Igaunija 200” (“Eesti 200”) and the Center Party, then the social democrats whose popularity was boosted by the victory in the Tallinn city elections and getting the mayor’s seat, and which is already known to political scientists the terrible child, the populist radical right party “EKRE”. In Estonia, political unions of parties are prohibited by law, formations like ZZS are not possible. Unlike Latvia, in Estonia, you can fight in elections alone. This system has not yet settled in Latvia. Since we’ve had both financial crises, we’ve had oligarchic parties that never existed in Estonia or Lithuania – politicians like Andris Škēle, Ainārs Šlesers or Aivars Lembergs.”
If we want to make some similarities between the elections of the European Parliament in Estonia and Latvia, it is the low turnout, said the political scientist.
“Unfortunately, the European Parliament elections are considered the so-called elections of second importance, the turnout for them in the last three terms has been between 36% and 52%.” [balsstiesīgo]. In the last election, it was 36%, if I’m not mistaken,” said Spolītis.
However, these elections are not very important – the member states’ decisions made in Brussels go to the European affairs commissions of the parliaments, where local legislators vote further, explained the political science.
Considering the possibility of voting in European Parliament elections from the age of 16
As both the Estonian Parliament and the European Parliament are majority-owned by liberal parties, it is not surprising that there was an active debate before these European Parliament elections about getting younger voters to vote . Young people from the age of 16 determine the future of Europe, for example in Austria, Belgium and Malta. It is known that such an opportunity will be available in the European Parliament elections in Estonia in five years, but in Estonian municipal elections, sixteen-year-olds could already vote in 2017.
The sociologist Aimārs Altosārs, who works in the editorial office of the newspaper “Postimees” in Tallinn, said that the debate about giving the right to vote, starts from the age of 16, when no it is still legal to drink alcohol or drive a car. alone, also motivated by Estonia’s sad demographic situation.
Altosar said: “You know, people in Estonia are getting older and older. More than 25% are over 65, and their number is growing. Maybe the time is right vote for younger people?
However, municipal elections have shown that sixteen-year-olds themselves are not reluctant to vote.
The associate professor of political sciences at Tallinn University, Tenis Sarts, sees nothing strange in this situation – similar problems plague all Western democracies, and Estonia is no exception. .
Tenis Sarts, associate professor of political sciences at Tallinn University
Photo: Ieva Puķe/Latvijas Television
“This is not an upset. It is an almost universal phenomenon that the older generation is much more active in voting, while the younger generation participates in other forms of political activity, such as protests,” said Sarts.
Latvijas Radio spoke to two older voters – Līsa and Tūli, who have already passed the 30-year threshold. During the conversation with them, the words of the researcher Sarts were confirmed. Women also expressed that, in terms of importance, the European Parliament elections are second only to municipal and local parliamentary elections, but that it is necessary to go to vote.
Lisa (from left) and Tuli
Photo: Ieva Puķe/Latvijas Radio
“Certainly, both of us can say that we always fulfill this duty – we participate in the elections – but before that we have to make a choice to vote for the right people. It is known I already know who I won’t vote for. It’s someone from the Kremlin and… There are certain parties we won’t vote for, but we still have to decide who we will vote for. ” said the women.
When asked which priorities they would support when reviewing the electoral programs, the women mentioned the same word as the interviewed political scientists, sociologists and also boys 18 -year – protection.
2024-05-03 05:34:55
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