The European elections in May are the most important for decades

With populist and far-right forces putting the very future of Europe at risk, May’s elections are the most important in the EU’s history.

Evidence shows that women are less likely to vote than men, but also that they are less likely to vote for populist and far-right parties.

This makes the number of women who turn out to vote absolutely crucial in deciding the future of Europe - confidence in the European project will only return if it contributes to creating a fairer and more equal society.

That is why we are today backing the European Trade Union Confederation’s call for women to mobilise in favour of a progressive and equal future for Europe.

IndustriAll Europe general secretary Luc Triangle said: “The European elections in May are the most important for decades – we urge all our members, women and men, to vote for candidates who support social justice and social progress. Europe must be the engine for higher and equal wages, for men and women.”

Our European election manifesto to be published on April 2 unequivocally calls for equal pay and working conditions to be enforced across the continent.

Klaudia Frieben, chair of the industriAll Europe’s equal opportunities working group, stresses: “We want a European Union that adopts a strong political strategy to achieve gender equality and that tackles harassment and violence against women. ”

IndustriAll Europe representatives will also today join women around the world by taking part in the international women’s strike.

READ MORE: ETUC launches Women’s Day call for vote for gender equality in European elections