Approximately 373 million citizens spread across the 27 member states of the European Union are poised to exercise their voting rights from June 6th to 9th in the upcoming elections for the European Parliament. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know about this pivotal vote:
What is the European Parliament?
The European Parliament (EP) stands as the sole directly elected institution of the EU, tasked with representing the diverse voices of citizens from its member states. Its core functions encompass negotiating EU legislation alongside the member state governments, represented by the European Council. Additionally, the EP holds authority over crucial matters such as approving the EU budget, ratifying international agreements, and overseeing the enlargement of the bloc.
Crucially, the EP wields significant oversight powers, including the pivotal role in confirming or rejecting the appointment of the European Commission president – a position currently occupied by Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen – and the commissioners. Differing from national parliaments, the EP does not initiate legislation but rather engages in negotiations over proposals brought forth by the executive European Commission.
Comprising 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), elected every five years, the EP sees its members elect a president for a term of two and a half years. Currently, the outgoing president is Italy’s Roberta Metsola.
Who Can Vote?
Voting eligibility varies across member states. In 21 member states, individuals aged 18 and above can participate, while in Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Malta, the minimum voting age is set at 16. Unique provisions exist, such as in Greece where those who turn 17 during the election year can vote, and in Hungary where married individuals hold voting rights regardless of age.
EU citizens can exercise their voting rights either in their country of origin or from abroad, with voting from overseas permitted in all member states except Czechia, Ireland, Malta, and Slovakia. However, in Bulgaria and Italy, this right extends solely to those residing within the EU.
Citizens residing in another EU country have the option to vote for candidates either from their country of origin or from their country of residence. However, it’s essential to note that voting in both countries simultaneously is legally impermissible.
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How to Vote?
Voting procedures vary among member states, with some adopting closed lists that limit changes to the order of preferred candidates, while others allow for the selection of individual candidates in a preferential system.
Depending on national regulations, voters abroad may cast their ballots at national embassies, via mail, or electronically.
Who Can Run as a Candidate?
Candidates may stand as individuals or representatives of political parties, contingent on the country’s electoral laws. Once elected, politicians from each nation align themselves with the European groups within the Parliament based on shared political orientations. Certain member states, like Germany, restrict candidacy in European elections to nominees from political parties or associations.
Elected individuals are barred from holding positions in national governments or other political bodies such as the EU Commission, the Court of Justice, or the Court of Auditors, among others. Moreover, all candidates must be EU citizens.
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2024 Election Predictions
Anticipation for the upcoming elections runs high, with six in 10 EU citizens expressing their intent to participate, as revealed by a survey conducted by the bloc’s statistics agency Eurostat in April.
Projections from poll aggregator Europe Elects forecast a distribution of seats in the EP, with the Group of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) expected to secure 183 seats, the centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists And Democrats (S&D) 140, Renew Europe (RE) and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) 86 each, Identity and Democracy (ID) 84, leaving the remaining 141 seats to other parties.
2019 Election Results and Implications
The previous elections witnessed a seismic shift in the political landscape as traditional center-right and center-left blocs ceded ground to smaller parties. The EPP and the centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) experienced a collective loss of 76 seats, eroding their long-standing majority.
This necessitated a reconfiguration of alliances, bolstering centrist and pro-EU factions like Renew Europe and Greens/EFA. Notably, voter turnout surged to a 20-year high at 50.66%, marking an 8% increase from 2014 and signaling heightened public engagement with critical issues such as climate change, migration, and economic inequality.
