Brussels, 29/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - An icon of the younger generation who is extremely active on migration issues and a staunchly anti-GM figure in the anti-globalisation movement. This is the duo who were chosen by those taking part in the European Green Party's first-ever online primary: 33-year-old German Ska Keller, former spokesperson of the Federation of Young European Greens, came top of the ballot a few votes ahead of José Bové, the French leader of the Confédération paysanne. The two will head up the election campaign and act as their party's voice for the head of the Presidency of the European Commission.
This race to the Presidency is not one that the European Greens are likely to win, “we're not daft!”, Bové commented on Wednesday morning after the results were announced. But this race will allow them to make their voices heard in the debate and, amongst other things, to speak out against an ultra-liberal Europe like the Council José Manuel Barroso, whom the Frenchman described as being directly responsible for nationalistic tendencies and for people falling out of love with Europe.
Keller won 11,791 of the votes, compared to 11,746 for Bové. Rebecca Harms came in third with 8,170 votes, ahead of Italy's Monica Frassoni, who received the support of 5,851 voters. This first-ever online primary started in November and the voters, all of whom are citizens of above 16 years of age, were able to have their say from then until the evening of 28 January. This experience has taught the party a great deal, but not all of it was encouraging. The fact that only 22,676 people took part in the vote is clearly a disappointment. “Far fewer than we had hoped”, lamented MEP Reinhard Bütikofer. “There is no great desire for Europe ”, said Bové, and that is where the challenge will lie for the campaign. Technical problems also left thousands of voters disenfranchised.
Now that the two candidates have been adopted, they will take part in debates over the next few weeks with the rivals who have already been confirmed, Guy Verhofstadt for the ALDE, Martin Schulz for the PES and Alexis Tsipras for the European Left. The first election debate will be held in Athens on 8 March as part of an event organised by the Committee of the Regions. And on 14 May, a major election debate will be held at the EP and broadcast by television to all member states. (SP/transl.fl)