In the run-up to its European Green Primary, the European Green Party (EGP) is calling on all green enthusiasts 16 or older to vote for who they wish to lead the party in the 2014 European Elections before elections close tomorrow, 28 January.
The four candidates in the running for the Green Primary leadership election are Rebecca Harms of Germany, José Bové of France, Ska Keller of Germany, and Monica Frassoni of Italy.
While they may not be household names in Ireland, each of them carries significant experience campaigning for green issues in their own countries.
The EGP’s aim with the Green Primary is to make democracy more accessible through modern technology, while trying to elevate the conversation about Green politics up to the European level.
The two winners of the primary will be the faces of an EU-wide election campaign for the Greens, and will represent them in debates with the leaders of other European political families.
One of them will be the Green’s nomination for EU Commission president Barroso’s job when his term ends.
Security of data assured
As part of the e-voting process, the EGP has promised data security, in light of revelations by former CIA contractor Edward Snowden. The party has enlisted the services of Barcelona-based e-voting specialists SCTYL, whose engineers have designed a system hardened against outside attacks, using features such as key-splitting and adherence to the latest NIST guidelines.
Speaking to Siliconrepublic.com, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said: “We’re very much behind this groundbreaking initiative. One of the greatest problems in Europe has been the lack of connection between people and the institutions of the union and this is what we are trying to break in a first and innovative e-democracy event.
“Our colleagues in the European Parliament, and in national parliaments across Europe, have been leading the response to the NSA (US National Security Agency)/GCHQ (UK Government Communications Headquarters) revelations, and during the primary we have been very conscious of protecting the digital integrity of the whole process.”
All those interested in taking part in the green e-democracy process are advised to vote as soon as possible as voting closes on Tuesday, 28 January. those interested can find out more and vote online.
