The official run-up to the 2014 European elections started on 10 September, when the European Parliament launched its awareness and information campaign. This campaign will continue beyond the elections themselves, until the newly-elected Parliament in turn elects the next European Commission President.

Anni Podimata (S&D, EL), one of the two EP Vice-Presidents responsible for communication. “There is a perception that EU political decision-taking in the current economic crisis has lacked proper legitimacy. People, EU voters, have the exclusive possibility to determine the political majorities of the Parliament, which will set the course for forging legislation, challenging bad policies and leading the debate in the five years following the elections.”

“The European Parliament is the Chamber of EU citizens – we are the citizens’ voice in the EU decision-making process,” stresses Othmar Karas (EPP, AT), the other Vice-President responsible for communication. “But this time it’s different. This campaign will lead up to the European elections of 22-25 May 2014, but also beyond, until Parliament elects the President of the European Commission and approves the new Commission’s political agenda.”

Phase one of the public information campaign starts now, with ACT.REACT.IMPACT. This phase aims to explain the European Parliament’s new powers and their implications for people living in the EU.

In the UK we are scheduled to vote on Thursday 22nd May 2014. European turnout last time was only 34.7% so it good to see the European Parliament looking to communicate the importance of the work its does and why everyone should want to paticipate in electing our new MEPs next May.