NO VOTE FOR EUROPE.

With just two weeks to go before the biggest exercise in democracy in European history, it looks like nobody really cares very much.

Less than half of the European Union's voters say they are certain to turn out for the European Parliament elections on June 10-13 - threatening an even more disappointing result than in 1999, which itself set a new record for public indifference.

This time round, two-thirds don't even know when the elections are taking place, says a survey this week. More than half the population say they don't have enough information about the elections, and most feel that the European Parliament doesn't represent them anyway.

Some of the poll's findings are borne out by anecdotal evidence from the ground. Candidates report widespread confusion and indifference across the member states.

EUROPE INFORMATION's own coverage of a sample of the candidates reveals plenty of examples: UK voters unaware whether they are voting for EP candidates, a new constitution or the Euro; the Belgian poll being drowned out by the simultaneous regional elections; German distractions resulting from exaggerated scare stories about enlargement and immigration; and candidates in Poland taking advantage of voters' ignorance and gullibility to make impossibly lavish promises in their...