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[LYMEC, the European Liberal Youth, announces our strong opposition for plans for voting in the European Parliament on the 2014-2020 Budget to be conducted by secret ballot.

The electorate across Europe deserve to know how each of their representatives will vote on such a critical issue. By having anonymous voting, the connection between the MEP in Brussels and the citizen is fragmented.

At a time when the EU requires significant reform to make itself more democratic, accountable and fit for purpose, the concealment that anonymous voting within the Parliament brings does nothing to improve its reputation. Perhaps more critically, it does not allow for clarity in what should be a crucial debate for the economic future of Europe.

At our last Congress in Sofia, LYMEC passed a resolution pledging to abolish anonymous voting in the European Parliament, and we think it is obvious that the accountability of our MEPs should be towards the voter who will be less informed and engaged if the planned secret ballot takes place.

Not only should the secret ballot not go ahead, the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament should be altered to ensure that it is not even a possibility for votes on policy. We call upon ALDE and all other groups within the Parliament to resist the movement towards secret ballots and instead press for openness and transparency.