Turnout in the three Dutch Caribbean countries for Thursday’s European Parliament elections is expected to remain modest, as it was five years ago. Although all their Dutch citizens are eligible to vote, they had to register first.
The latter was rightfully mentioned by several candidates from The Hague as an undesirable impediment. It’s hard enough to get people on the islands interested enough in what happens in Strasbourg and – by extension – Brussels to go the polls even without having to report this in advance.
Yet doing so is important for several reasons, including European Union (EU) development funding and the future constitutional relations with overseas territories of member states such as the Dutch and French West Indies, but also regarding global issues like Brexit and their indirect impact on the region.
In practical terms, it might not be very wise to support anti-immigration parties, as they are probably not too keen on continued ties with former colonies either, despite what the people living there may want. These kinds of political groups are also more likely to try to restrict free admittance of islanders to “the motherland” or somehow limit the rights their passports give them.
Also parties that advocate breaking up the EU – often the same – are hardly advisable options. Such a radical move would leave the “Old Continent” in so much disarray there are almost bound to be negative implications for the overseas territories.
The best bet is therefore to choose reasonably moderate parties that take a pragmatic and rational approach to situations on the ground. For those who are taking the trouble to cast their ballot: Let common sense be your guide.
