Big gains seen for Eurosceptics, right-wingers in EU poll
In May, citizens from the bloc’s 28 member states will vote for a new European parliament and the indications are that Eurosceptic and far-right parties will score big gains, amid public frustration over the painful measures that have been implemented to tackle the crisis.
In the upcoming EU poll, which will take place between May 22 and 25, a good result for Eurosceptic and far-right parties would give them more seats in the European Parliament, whose 751 members will help set EU laws for five years to come. Yves Bertoncini of the Notre Europe-Jacques Delors Institute worries that those parties will then hamper the parliament’s "ability to reach decisions, and possibly even ... disrupt both its functioning and the functioning of the EU as a whole".
UKIP leader Nigel Farage is already a member of the legislature, and a recent study by VoteWatch Europe found that he has voted against legislative proposals 86% of the time. Mr Farage has warmly embraced the title of "Mister No".
"I am very proud to vote against EU legislation because this reduces the power of EU bureaucracy," he has said. "UKIP members of the European Parliament do not recognise the democratic legitimacy of the EU or any of its institutions to legislate over the British people."
http://www.bdlive.co.za/world/europe/2013/12/31/big-gains-seen-for-eurosceptics-right-wingers-in-eu-poll
It will be interesting to see if the far-right in Europe can keep its electoral momentum going until May. I hope not.