Having difficulty deciding who to vote for in the European elections? I know that if you are anything like me you just can’t wait to get into the polling booth and make your mark and influence the next four years of European policy. Well you will be glad to hear that there is a new tool available that is just for you – it is called Vote Match.
You go onto the site and answer 30 questions about what your thoughts are on a range of European related issues, spanning from should the EU have a say in your retirement age to should we join the Euro (Yes!). Should you not have lost the will to live by the 30th question it then matches you against the answers given by the policies of the parties entering the elections and tells you who your best match is.
So this is a good idea right? Wrong!
The idea behind the site is to engage with more people and encourage them to vote. While the idea is laudable I think it is a bad idea. Firstly, because, as they have been saying on the radio all this week, no one cares about the European elections. In fact it seems that no one cares about Europe until you ask them if they want to see a change of coinage. SO why is anyone going to get excited by 30 questions on the subject?
The major problem thought, is that is this the way to be encouraging people to vote? Yes, we want people to get out and enjoy the democracy that we have but I would much rather people took an interest and looked at the issues for themselves rather than be guided by a series of simplistic questions.
Whatever happens the turnout in June will be low and the major parties will take knock as a backlash against the economy and having had to pay for MPs to have their swimming pools and moats cleaned.
Feel any different? Think it is a good idea? Leave a comment.