The European Parliament elections are underway, and in this picture, I am voting electronically, as is customary in Estonia. Estonia has been using electronic voting since 2005, so I have NEVER been to a polling station; I probably wouldn’t know how to behave there 😀
Nine parties are participating in the European Parliament elections in Estonia, of which four to five have a real chance of getting into parliament, according to my/poll opinions.
As a farmer myself, I decided to open the election programs of the parties participating in the European Parliament elections and take a look inside. Are the concerns of agriculture even noticed, and are solutions offered?
- In the programs of two parties, agriculture is mentioned only in general terms, with no problems-solutions outlined.
- In the program of one party, several points regarding agriculture are elaborated on, but these too offer little substance and seem to be included just as filler content.
- Two parties have nicely detailed the agricultural section in their programs; I think the prevailing problems are well captured, and there are also ideas on how to solve these problems. One party’s program is even surprisingly specific – it is evident that the program’s author has a considerable understanding of agriculture.
Among these five parties, there are 45 candidates to choose from, and only THREE of them have some agricultural background/can be associated with agriculture. And of these three, it is HIGHLY unlikely that any will get into parliament.
And note that the quality of the program and the candidate’s connection to agriculture do not correlate.
What do the programs talk about? Primarily security, then security, oh yes, did I already mention security?! And I don’t blame them, because Estonia’s geographical location and the current events in Europe determine the main directions of our politics/politicians.
Of course, as a farmer, I would like more attention to be paid to my field, which, hold your hats and glasses, provides the fuel of life for the entire human race three times a day. So what do I do? I simply vote for the candidate I find sympathetic because if I don’t vote, I have no right to complain.
Whether you are a farmer or represent another field, read the programs, find the candidate that suits you best (there is always one!), and go vote. I have always voted because not voting is not an option. Do I have the choice to sow crops in spring/autumn or not? Obviously, I sow because maybe it will be a good year 😀
