Learning about Politics

Here it starts… Imagine: You are at home with your Mum and Dad watching the news on television. The newsreader is talking about elections that will soon take place for the European Parliament. You know that the European Parliament makes decisions that affect the lives of all of the citizens of the European Union. You [...]

“A journey of a thousand miles began with a single step.”

The core of our new party:

Team:

copo3lll, mazi3als,  ilma3lll, valentinasaldutto, flaviobarberis,  federicapezzuto,  guerzonigiada, federu3ll, harlet, heivo, anna-maria, anna-Maria2, maire,  marita, evamlinaric,  masasraml, lucijafleisinger, anjafir, nisja, masaeins

Our team found out that many of us, as old as we are, don’t know anything . . . → Read More: CHAPTER 2 / Straight into Politics / Forming the team

Break the ice

“Asking people about themselves is a good beginning.” Says your Dad. “Yes, you could ask everyone to tell you what they like best, what tv programmes they watch or what football team they support.” Says Mum.

…………………………

We are not sure which way to go. We can see that it might . . . → Read More: CHAPTER 3 / Straight into Politics / Getting to know the team

Source of the photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjpacres/3293117576/ Author of the photo: jjpacres

Well, we’ve got to know the team and we have some very interesting ideas from the initial sessions over the internet. We decide that it is time to ‘get down to brass tacks’ as they say in England. (that means to get to . . . → Read More: CHAPTER 4 / Straight into Politics / Setting your Political Agenda

We’ve come a long way and now have a good team that we have put together from a number of different European Countries, and we have a good list of themes and ideas for action on each of these themes. But what do we do now? How does the European system work? We need . . . → Read More: CHAPTER 5 / Straight into Politics / European Institutions and Procedures

That was a big job, finding out about all of the institutions, but it was important and now we are in a better position to decide what we want to do. We see that the members of the European Commission are nominated by the governments of the member states and that the Council of . . . → Read More: CHAPTER 6 / Straight into Politics / European Parliament Elections

If the people in our constituency don’t know us, or what we stand for, they are unlikely to vote for us. We have to have an organisation that will spread the word about our policies and let the public know that our candidates are thoroughly good people who will try to do what they . . . → Read More: CHAPTER 7 / Straight into Politics / Parties and Politics

…………………….

You told your Dad about the discussions you had about the parties and that you had made a decision. You are going to operate independently as a separate party so you can put forward your own views and policies.

“Well you’ll need an election platform”

Said Dad.

At first you thought that you . . . → Read More: CHAPTER 8 / Straight into Politics / Our Election Platform

Knowing that you and your team are too young to be candidates you decide that you must find like-minded people who share your views and can stand for election on your platform.

So..who is an ideal candidate? There is a discussion about that topic.

For example Harlet Reinek from Estonia thinks so: “I . . . → Read More: CHAPTER 9 / Straight into Politics / Nominating your Candidates

The time has come to prepare for the election itself. There are many things that will be needed.

“First of all you need your manifesto listing all of your policies and saying why they are needed” Said Dad, looking over your shoulder. “It must be well written and clear. It should also look very . . . → Read More: CHAPTER 10 / Straight into Politics / The Campaign, the Manifesto and the Flyers