Portrait of the Arts student as a young voter

By Emma Mundy

So what exactly is this European election business all about, I hear you ask; or do I? It seems to me that many young people of my age have little interest in this EU malarky and have even less interest in reading the reams of political jargon and propaganda that appear to go hand in hand with it.

While pondering on the complexities of the bureaucratic process in the European Parliament, I asked aloud; “what does MEP stand for?” My young companion replied “MC who?” This summoned up images of a baggy pants-wearing MC Hammer rapping out political rhymes, then I imagined Marian Harkin belting out a Destiny’s Child number “all the women who independent, throw your hands up at me!” Eh, okay maybe I spend a little too much time in my head, but then again maybe this political campaign needs a sharp injection of fun.

As a young person myself, the EU seems a pretty distant thing. Why do I feel like I need to have done a degree in politics in order to understand what goes on in Brussels? Who are these people whose giant faces adorn every telephone pole from Malin to Mizen Head? What’s the deal with all this baby kissing? It just isn’t convenient to always have to hide behind the couch when one sees a strangely decorated car pulling into the driveway, dreading the knock on the door that interrupts our TV channel hopping.

It is difficult to get the time to look into candidate manifestos when bigger worries like work, study, money (or lack thereof) and this darned recession keep our young minds working on overdrive. The future is a daunting thing at this present time, with most young graduates feeling the recessionary pinch on employment prospects. Our gaze is set on a future that appears a sight less rosy than the tiger years had led us to believe was waiting for us. Coming to terms with that future will require us to take a leading role in steering a new course not only for ourselves but inevitably for our country too.

We are told that the European Parliament has a hell of a lot to do with shaping the future that soon will become the present, daily lives we are living. Needless to say then that voting in these upcoming elections is really quite important. Why then does Europe surround itself with complex jargon? Until the European Parliament recognizes the need to re-connect with its citizens it is up to us to empower ourselves as agents of change.

The EU affects everything from the water we drink to the roads we drive on. We don’t need to be political experts, or force ourselves to listen to boring old codgers debating on the radio, but we do need to take an interest, however small. I have found the process of choosing to become politically active incredibly empowering. It isn’t as complex, confusing or time consuming as you might think either.

Logging on to this blog is a great start and with most of the candidates on Twitter and Facebook now it’s much easier to read about what they have to offer us. So after logging on to perezhilton.com or checking your BeBo page take ten minutes to log into any of the following sites and educate yourself as to what exactly this European election business is really all about!

http://www.europeanmovement.ie/
http://www.irishblogs.ie/
http://www.irishelection.com/
http://www.kildarestreet.com/
http://www.europeanelections.ie/
http://www.micandidate.eu/