May 21 Vilnius University The Institute of International Relations and Political Sciences (VU TSPMI) together with the State Knowledge Center and the initiative "Man ne dzin" invited to the discussion "Who will we elect to the European Parliament?". During the discussion, VU TSPMI experts Jogilė Ulinskaitė, Ainė Ramonaitė and Paulius Skirkevičius unanimously agreed that the presidential elections brought the elections to the European Parliament into the light of day.
In the discussion, which was moderated by VU TSPMI professor Gediminas Vitkus, the topic of the Presidential elections could not be avoided. According to Mr. Skirkevičius, the presidential elections in Lithuania are like a lifeline for candidates to the European Parliament. He was seconded by J. Ulinskaitė, who believed that some of the candidates for the European Parliament took advantage of the opportunity to occupy the chair of the country's leader.
"I'm not sure that all those who ran for President expected to get to the second round. The presidential election was an additional airwaves for them, which they used in order to be elected to the European Parliament", said J. Ulinskaitė. According to A. Ramonaitė, the passivity towards the European Parliament elections is also noticeable among the candidates - there is no hurry to publicize the election programs, while the ones that already exist are short and abstract.
Committees as start-ups - "fast fold"
G. Vitkus emphasized the increased interest of candidates this year: a large number of lists aim to win 11 seats in the European Parliament. This, according to the moderator of the discussion, shows great enthusiasm, and a significant number of candidates also belong to public election committees.
During the discussion, it was noted that committees should not be met only in a positive light. According to Professor A. Ramonaitė, the committee is a temporary matter: it may not remain after the elections. In this case, voters have nothing to punish. Meanwhile, J. Ulinskaitė noticed that some committees tend to compare themselves with economic start-ups. However, according to her, it is this comparison that reveals why the popularity of committees should not be positively evaluated - "Economic start-ups often "quickly fold"".
Before the elections, you are invited to check
During the event, the ManoBalsas.lt political compass, adapted for the European Parliament elections, was also presented. This test went live on May 10. and allows you to check which political party or committee's views are closest to the voter.
This year, the test was prepared on the basis of a new methodology, when the provisions of the party as an institution are combined with the individual opinions of the candidates. "This test is not intended to tell you who to vote for. On the contrary, it encourages people to take an interest in party programs and thus find out who to vote for," said A. Ramonaitė, inviting people to try the new tool.
The elections to the European Parliament will be held on May 26 together with the second round of the Presidential elections of the Republic of Lithuania. Early voting takes place on May 20-24.
