Italian animal rights activists ready for 2009 European elections
Italian animal rights activits are getting ready for the June 2009 European Parliament elections. In order to increase the chance of gaining a seat, a new coalition has been created between the Italian Animal Rights Party (Partito Animalista Italiano, or PAI) and two other parties: the Italian Environmentalists and Eurosceptics.
They were unable to contest the 2008 Italian general elections and are keen not to miss out on the European elections.
The PAI, together with the Italian Environmentalists, had collected and submitted 1798 signatures, well beyond the 1750 required in order to run in the elections for the Italian Senate in Campania, the region in Southern Italy where Naples is situated. Unfortunately, only less than 1700 signatures had been accepted, which resulted in not being able to participate in the Italian elections.
The newly-formed alliance thinks that it can receive 1.5% of the votes and gain 1 or even 2 seats in the European Parliament this summer.
The policies of the Partito Animalista Italiano cover all issues concerning animals, including farming, vivisection, hunting, protection of wild animals, companion animals, stray cats and dogs.
Animals Count welcomes this news, and we hope that every country in Europe, and ideally in the world, will one day have a party devoted entirely to animal issues (which will be beneficial for humans and the environment too). In addition to Animals Count and the Dutch political Party for the Animals, the German Tierschutzpartei will be contesting the European elections too.
10 January 2009