The European Union The European Union, also known as the EU, is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are mainly located in Europe. It was established to create and maintain an internal market and promote economic, political, and social stability among its members. This organization has contributed significantly to the development and integration of European countries, providing a platform for them to cooperate on various issues such as security, trade, and environment. The European Union is committed to promoting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, and it has played a key role in shaping the international agenda on these matters. - Increasing Tendency Towards Postal Ballots Noticed in Hessian European Elections
In Europe, voting via postal mail is growing in popularity, and this trend can also be seen in Hesse during the recent European elections. While the voter turnout at polling stations on Sunday hit 28.3%, it was 34.8% in the same time frame five years ago, according to the state election office. There has been a significant increase in the number of postal votes. Although exact statistics were not available during the afternoon, the coronavirus pandemic is believed to have contributed to this rising trend.
No notable incidents occurred during the voting process on Sunday in Hesse, as announced by state election officer Wilhelm Kanther in the afternoon. However, a school polling station was forced to open ten minutes late because of earlier break-ins. Police reported that no valuables were stolen, but the burglars had broken glass doors and damaged cupboard doors. The station was subsequently relocated to another room due to police investigations.
Voting in Hesse started at 8:00 a.m. and ended at 6:00 p.m. with over 4.85 million eligible citizens able to participate in the election. These voters decide on the allocation of seats in the European Parliament. Approximately 100,000 young people aged 16 or 17 participated in their first statewide election in Hesse. While they can vote in the European election, some municipalities still do not allow them to vote in local elections. This is due to political decisions, according to State Election Officer Kanther.
Ballot papers in the European elections in Hesse featured 34 political parties and other organizations. Approximately 55,000 poll workers were involved in the EU vote in Hesse. State Election Officer Kanther participated in the voting process himself, preferring the "special moment" of voting in person to postal voting.
The nationwide and Hessian election results were not announced until 11:00 p.m., as polling stations in Italy would not close until then. These elections are considered a test of public opinion for the respective parties.
A total of 720 EU MPs are set to be elected. At present, Germany has 96 representatives in the European Parliament, with representatives meeting in both Strasbourg and Brussels. In the 2019 elections, Hesse sent seven politicians and politicians to the European Parliament, including two CDU members, one Green, one SPD member, one AfD member, one FDP member, and one Free Voter.
The CDU secured the most votes in the 2019 Hesse European elections with 25.8% of the total. The Greens trailed closely with 23.4%, while the SPD captured 18.4% of the votes. The AfD gathered 9.9% of the votes, the FDP earned 6.4%, and the Left Party obtained 4.4%. Five years ago, the Hessian voter turnout by the time polling stations closed was 58.4%.
