MEPs and European party affiliation

A call for greater clarity

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott
The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.

Sir, – The European election ballot paper for the constituency of Dublin showed 23 candidates. For seven of these candidates, the grouping they will affiliate with in the European Parliament is indicated on the ballot paper. For the remaining 16 candidates, no such information is provided.

The make-up of the European Parliament following the election will be significant for all Europeans.

As the elections are taking place across Europe, it isn’t clear, for example, whether Georgia Meloni’s party will join the European Conservatives and Reformists, seen as a hard-line party, or if Ms Meloni may set up a more hard-right group.

Voting without information on a candidate’s intended affiliation is like voting while wearing a blindfold. This situation needs to be addressed at European and national level. – Yours, etc,

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MARY FITZGERALD,

Dublin 6W.