The European elections will take place on June 9 in Portugal, and voters will be able to go to any polling station in the country or abroad to elect 21 Portuguese MEPs.
These elections are held every five years, and in the 27 EU member states they will be held from June 6 to 9.
Here are some questions and answers about this campaign event:
How many Portuguese MEPs will be elected?
21 national MEPs will be elected out of 720.
Which national political forces are participating in the European elections?
17 parties and coalitions will participate in the European Parliament elections on June 9, the same number as in 2019: Democratic Alliance (SDP/CDU/PPM), PS, Chega, Liberal Initiative, Left Bloc, CDU (PKP/PEV coalition). /ID), Livre, PAN, ADN, MAS, Ergue-te, Nova Direita, Volt Portugal, RIR, Us Citizens, MPT and PTP.
Who can vote?
Portuguese citizens over 18 years of age registered in the Portuguese electoral register in the national territory, as well as adult Portuguese citizens registered in Portugal and residing outside the national territory who have not decided to vote in another Member State of the European Union.
Non-European Union citizens registered in Portugal who choose to vote for Portuguese Members of the European Parliament, as well as Brazilian citizens holding a citizenship card or a Portuguese identity card (with equal status of political rights) can also vote.
Anyone who turns 18 on Election Day can vote.
How to vote in advance in Portugal?
Voters registered throughout the country can vote in advance mobile on June 2, a week before the elections, in a location of their choice, including any municipality on the mainland or in the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira.
To do this, the voter must communicate his intention between 26 and 30 May electronically on the website www.votoantecipado.pt or by mail addressed to the Electoral Administration of the General Secretariat of the Ministry of the Interior, located at Praça do Comércio, Ala Oriental, 1149- 015 LISBOA.
If a voter pre-registers to vote by mobility and is unable to do so, they will be able to vote on Election Day, June 9.
Incarcerated and hospitalized patients also vote in advance, with their votes collected by the city council president between May 27 and May 30.
How to vote on June 9?
For the first time and as an exception, voters will be able to vote on June 9 at “any polling station established within the country or abroad” without the need for registration or prior notification.
To do this, voters must have an identification document with them. If you don’t have one, you can only vote at the polling station where you are registered.
This modality will become possible through the use of dematerialized voter lists, that is, digital ones.
Overseas, polling stations will be open at Portuguese diplomatic institutions on the 8th and 9th until 20:00 on Sunday in Lisbon.
This measure aims to combat abstinence on a day that coincides with a long weekend due to the national holiday of June 10, or even a public holiday, since Lisbon also has a municipal holiday on June 13.
Is it true that there was a high abstention rate in the European elections in Portugal?
Yes, in 1987, in the first European elections in which Portugal participated as a member state, only 27.58% abstained, and just two years later this figure increased to 48.9%.
Since 1994, the abstention rate in European elections has always been above 50%: that year it was 64.46%, in 1999 it fell to 60%, but in 2004 it rose again to 61.2%. In 2009, abstentions amounted to 63.23%, and in 2014 – 66.16%.
Abstention in the European elections in Portugal reached an all-time high in 2019, when 69.27% of Portuguese voters did not vote.
What problems concern European citizens most? And specifically the Portuguese?
According to the latest Eurobarometer, published in April, 33% of European citizens selected fighting poverty and social exclusion, and supporting public health (32%) as the main topics they would like to see discussed in the Eurobarometer. election campaign.
Economic support and job creation, as well as EU defense and security, came in third place with 31%.
These three themes coincide with the interests most expressed by the Portuguese.
About 25% of Portuguese citizens surveyed listed the defense and security of the European Union as a topic they would like to see discussed during the election campaign, while 22% voted for the topic “EU autonomy in the fields of industry and energy.”
Of Portuguese respondents, 17% prioritize debate on climate action, 11% want agricultural policy discussed, and only 8% expressed concern about migration and asylum.
What were the results of the 2019 elections?
In the 2019 European elections, the PS won with 33.38% of the votes, gaining 9 seats in the European Parliament. The SDP came second with 21.94% of the vote and six MEPs, followed by BE with two (9.82%).
The CDU coalition (PCP/PEV/ID) also won two seats in the European Parliament, while the CDS-PP and PAN each elected one MEP.
When will the election campaign take place?
The election campaign will take place from May 27 to June 7.
Data taken from CNE, official website of the European Parliament, Eurocide, Eurobarometer, Constitutional Court and electoral law.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.