Voters must know how their vote could affect choice of European Commission President – and which European parties their candidates belong to.

The battle begins to get people to vote in EP elections 2014

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/16358578/n001-130708-001-en.srt

Two people with a mission: they’re involved  in the 'I Am Europe' project,

which aims to get Europe’s citizens  more engaged in politics.

There’s been talk about how to bring  Europe closer to the citizens for years,

The Citizens’ Initiative, which should allow  people to launch demands for legislation,

is too beset with obstacles.  The EU needs something else.

To organise town hall meetings all over  Europe, in different European cities,

to discuss the future of Europe, to discuss  certain topics, to set priorities, etcetera.

Turnout at European elections  has been declining

from almost 62% in 1979  to just 43% last time.

In April in Croatia, the newest EU member,  less than 21% took part.

But next year voters will also be helping to  choose the next EU Commission President,

calling for that to be used  to encourage people to take an interest.

We'll make Europe a political issue  and we'll involve the citizens in it

at the time of the EP elections in 2014.  That's the idea of this report.

Existing disillusion with the EU has been  exacerbated by the economic crisis.

Many of the people worst affected  by five years of austerity

blame the EU for imposing it, even if  current policy is shaped by other factors.

Look, the big issue with this  is not to do with the EP at all.

It’s the German elections in the autumn.

Their outcome  will determine a great deal

in terms of the economic strategy  that the EU will follow.

What the EP says, to some degree,  will be downstream of that.

MEPs are aware that  a higher turnout may lead

to even more eurosceptic  and nationalist MEPs,

but for the 'I Am Europe' campaigners,  that’s not the issue.

so it shows the state of things in Europe,

and European policies should take  into consideration the opinions of people.

MEPs want voters in next May’s elections  to know

what European political parties  candidates belong to

and also who their candidates are  for the Commission Presidency.

But as campaigners know,  explaining it will not be easy.