Start of the Electoral Race in Europe
The European elections are already underway. Several European countries, such as the Netherlands, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta, Slovakia and Italy, have started the electoral process to choose their new MEPs for the next five years. This Sunday, June 9, it was the turn of the Catalan electoral colleges and all over Spain, which opened promptly at nine in the morning.
Participation and Electoral System in Catalonia
More than 5.7 million Catalans are called to the polls in elections with a single constituency. A lower turnout is expected compared to previous elections, especially considering that Catalans are returning to vote after the Catalan elections on May 12. According to the data provided by the Spanish delegation, almost 10,000 agents have been deployed in Catalonia, of which half will be Mossos d’Esquadra. Among board members, auditors, transmitters and security agents, there will be around 42,000 people involved in the electoral system.
Vote by Mail and Participation History
Regarding voting by mail, requests in these elections have been reduced by 27.5% in Catalonia compared to 2019. This is due to a predictable general drop in participation compared to the last European elections, which coincided with the municipal elections. It should be remembered that the highest historical turnout in a European election in Catalonia was in 2019, when almost 3,440,000 people voted, surpassing even the European average for participation.