Repatriating the Revolution Democracy in Practice in the European Union: Daniel Hannan Is a Conservation Member of the European Parliament for South East England and Has Served Since 1999. He Is Also a Writer and Journalist and Has Written Eight Books on European Policy Including the Plan Twelve Months to Renew Britain (Perspectives‪)‬

Yet again, turnout at European elections has reached a record low. Of those Europeans who had taken the trouble to register to vote before the June 2009 elections to the European Parliament, no fewer than 57 percent declined to cast their ballots on the day. The figure is all the more remarkable when we consider that voting is compulsory in some member states, that others sought to boost participation by holding municipal elections on the same day, and that Brussels had spent hundreds of millions of euros on a campaign to encourage turnout. (One of its gimmicks was to send a ballot box into orbit, which critics joyfully seized upon as the perfect symbol of the European Union's remoteness.) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]