European Union elections 2014

[Hereward]

It's people like you who vote against their actual interests who democracy a mockery and produce horrific policies.

Who are you to say I vote against my interests? You don't know what my interests are.

[Stannisaurus]

So, according to that EUvox thing I am a closer match to the socialdemocratic party of my country so I guess its broken :laugh:

Eu-wide I match with Europa+, NEOS and D66, which I have never even heard of.

[Fez]

I just learned that Norway isn't part of the EU, I find that rather surprising. I understand the reasons why the few other European countries that aren't members aren't members, but what's Norway's reason?

[The Marquis de Leech]

I just learned that Norway isn't part of the EU, I find that rather surprising. I understand the reasons why the few other European countries that aren't members aren't members, but what's Norway's reason?

The people don't want it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_European_Union_membership_referendum,_1994

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_European_Communities_membership_referendum,_1972

[Fez]

The people don't want it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_European_Union_membership_referendum,_1994

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_European_Communities_membership_referendum,_1972

Don't quite a lot of people in other European countries not particularly want it either though?

[SkaggCannibal]

I just learned that Norway isn't part of the EU, I find that rather surprising. I understand the reasons why the few other European countries that aren't members aren't members, but what's Norway's reason?

Fishing rights was a major concern, as it is with Iceland. They are already rich on their own because of their oil, guess they thought membership wasn't needed.

Don't quite a lot of people in other European countries not particularly want it either though?

Majority generally wants to be in, only in the UK that isn't always the case.

[The Marquis de Leech]

Don't quite a lot of people in other European countries not particularly want it either though?

Not enough to vote down a membership referendum. Norway's opposition appears to be a matter of national sovereignty, a desire to protect its welfare state, and the perceived differences between Norway's resources-based economy (oil and fish) and the EU's manufacturing and commercial focus.

[Biter]

I’m serving as an election official, actually. (Just finished reading up on rules for invalid votes, what happens when the lights to out, etc.)

How does one get involved in all the election hullabaloo?

My brother served as an election official for Sweden's 2010 general election and I'm curious about how it works, but I've never gotten around to asking him about his involvement.

EU Vox wants me to vote Feminist party, which I would never do as I find a lot of their feminist ideals do not correspond to mine, plus I do not agree with single issue parties. Apart from that it's between the three parties I am flip flopping about, so I think I'll continue to flip flop?

The online test told me my political opinions align with the two odd parties Pirate Party and Feminist Initiative. I haven't decided who I'll vote for yet either, but they won't be getting my vote this year.

[messem]

Who are you to say I vote against my interests? You don't know what my interests are.

As a matter of fact I don't know you. True. But didn't you admit to vote against your own interests? At least that's what I did read in your post. Judging by people I do know, I figured (mayhaps wrongly) you are like them.

[Usotsuki]

Who are you to say I vote against my interests? You don't know what my interests are.

Debauching sloths, fomenting civil wars and a little light gardening?

[Happy Ent]

How does one get involved in all the election hullabaloo?

My brother served as an election official for Sweden's 2010 general election and I'm curious about how it works, but I've never gotten around to asking him about his involvement.

Contact your municipality. For Sweden here’s the relevant FAQ: Jag vill jobba med val, hur gör jag? I applied a few months ago. You can probably apply now for the general elections in the fall.

(I have pretty good credentials since I’m academically somewhat involved in electronic voting in my role as a professor of computer science, including having authored some op-ed articles in Swedish newspapers and acted as consultant to the government in that question. But I don’t think they used that information to pick me from the pool of applicants – just apply!)

[Prosesskrift]

Don't quite a lot of people in other European countries not particularly want it either though?

The main difference is that the people of Norway voted against joining the EU in two referendums (1972 and 1994).

As for why, that's a rather complicated question. Questions of fishing rights figured strongly, as did a more general concern tied to national sovereignty. There were also worries that joining the EU would cause problems with the USSR. Norway and the USSR had a rather delicate relationship at the time, which is still present in a somewhat muted form with Russia today.

Not to mention a number of other reasons.

[Lyanna Stark]

Not to mention a number of other reasons.

Like oil money, oil money and a bit of oil money perhaps? :)

Unlike the banana republic to the east of Norway who has no oil money. :crying:

[Prosesskrift]

Like oil money, oil money and a bit of oil money perhaps? :)

Unlike the banana republic to the east of Norway who has no oil money. :crying:

Though if they had been willing to trade half of Volvo, they would have had plenty of oil money too. It probably made a lot of sense at the time.

[Rorshach]

A good few of Norway's reason for staying out has already been mentioned. Personally, I like to add our history - 400 years under Danish rule followed by 100 under Sweden has left us a bit sceptical towards outside influence.

Mind you, we do have a trade agreement with the EU, which we pay for, and we adopt most every bit of EU legislation, so it all adds up to implicit membership without a vote, but hey - we're independent!

[The Marquis de Leech]

Unlike the banana republic to the east of Norway who has no oil money. :crying:

Well, the Swedish EU referendum in 1995 was still pretty close, and the Euro as a currency was rejected in 2003.

[Hereward]

As a matter of fact I don't know you. True. But didn't you admit to vote against your own interests? At least that's what I did read in your post. Judging by people I do know, I figured (mayhaps wrongly) you are like them.

No, I didn't admit to that. I said the test suggested two other parties. The test is wrong.

[messem]

No, I didn't admit to that. I said the test suggested two other parties. The test is wrong.

Usually these tests aren't. Usually people just vote against their own interests. Other people, not you of course!

[Lyanna Stark]

Though if they had been willing to trade half of Volvo, they would have had plenty of oil money too. It probably made a lot of sense at the time.

:lol: What do you mean? It is so much better to just sell it to China or something. :P Much wiser decision.

A good few of Norway's reason for staying out has already been mentioned. Personally, I like to add our history - 400 years under Danish rule followed by 100 under Sweden has left us a bit sceptical towards outside influence.

Mind you, we do have a trade agreement with the EU, which we pay for, and we adopt most every bit of EU legislation, so it all adds up to implicit membership without a vote, but hey - we're independent!

Tssk tssk, the Swedish rule was only benevolent. Just see how much better off you were under our supreme leadership....erhhh... :leaving:

Well, the Swedish EU referendum in 1995 was still pretty close, and the Euro as a currency was rejected in 2003.

The EU makes sense to participate in from several points of view, but the Euro not so much after Sweden experienced that lovely, amazing financial crash around 1989/1990 where we performed the dress rehearsal for everyone else nationalising their banks some 17-18 years later. Been there, done the currency devaluation, got the T-shirt. You can't devalue the Euro as easily (if at all?) as you can the krona and we may need to be able to do that, which we learnt to our sorrow (and to the lulz of the Norwegian and Danish neighbours when our krona tanked below theirs).

[The Iceman of the North]

A good few of Norway's reason for staying out has already been mentioned. Personally, I like to add our history - 400 years under Danish rule followed by 100 under Sweden has left us a bit sceptical towards outside influence.

Mind you, we do have a trade agreement with the EU, which we pay for, and we adopt most every bit of EU legislation, so it all adds up to implicit membership without a vote, but hey - we're independent!

So independent that we usually enact EU regulations ages before most EU members.