Elections to the European Parliament

The European elections is a since 1979 in the European Union five -yearly general, direct, free and secret ballot, in which the Members of the European Parliament are determined. The last European elections took place from 4 to 7 June 2009, the next will be carried out until May 25, 2014 22.

The members of the European Parliament are elected separately for each Member State. Legal basis of the Europe-wide elections are article 14, paragraph 3 of the EU Treaty and adopted in 1976, Direct Elections, which provides the general framework for the elections. The exact choice system however, is determined by each Member State by national regulations. Since the introduction of the European elections, efforts are the electoral system to unify Europe, which the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union are also expressly authorized under Article 223 TFEU. However, the Treaty does not have a fixed schedule for this before, and a consensus on a comprehensive standardization has not been achieved. Prior to the 2004 European elections, in addition to some minor modifications of the Direct was enforced that all Member States must now apply the principle of proportional representation, even if they are in national elections have ( such as France and the UK) a majority vote.

A fundamental reform of the electoral system is prepared by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament, which adopted a proposal in April 2011, through which a portion of deputies to be elected on European lists from the 2014 European elections. The vote on the proposal in the European Parliament has been postponed again on July 7, 2011, and referred back to the Committee. It is controversial, especially whether the Parliament should be expanded to include 25 additional seats to accommodate the transnational EU deputies or whether the courts will be deducted from the national lists.

  • 2.1 Development of turnout
  • 3.1 Existing European elections in Germany
  • 3.2 Existing European elections in Austria
  • 5.1 Germany
  • 5.2 Austria

Selection mode

Are entitled to vote to all citizens of the European Union, and living in another EU country citizens alternatively may either choose their place of residence or in their country of origin. For this it is necessary to be registered in the local electoral roll for the European elections. The age for the right to vote is in almost all States in 18 years, in Austria alone, it is (since the European elections in Austria 2009) at the age of 16. The age for the acquisition of the passive right to vote ( eligibility ) depends on the national legislation of the country of origin. While most EU citizens can be selected as early as 18 years, for example, candidates in Italy and Cyprus must be at least 25 years old.

The number of representatives to be elected is determined separately by a European Council decision for each country. The principle of degressive proportionality, according to which larger countries is in principle more MPs than smaller, smaller countries, however, more MPs per capita than larger ones. According to article 14, paragraph 2 of the EU Treaty must be selected in each country 6-96 deputies.

The selection of candidates is done via lists at national or regional level, mostly above the national parties. Political parties at European level play for the election, however, only a limited role by coordinating the campaign about their national member parties and adopt common choice programs. However, it can also take national parties in the European elections, which are not organized in a European party.

Since the various EU Member States have different traditions when setting election dates, the European elections do not fall in the different countries on the same date: Sun, Britain and the Netherlands is usually selected during the week, but in Germany, Austria and many other countries Sundays. In some countries, such as Italy, it is also common that the polling stations are open not only to one but to two days. Overall, the European elections therefore usually extend over four days ( from Thursday to Sunday). To prevent corruption of the election, official results will be announced in all countries until Sunday evening. This prohibition, however, was repeatedly undermined in the past by the premature release of extrapolations.

The electoral system in the individual states

The following list shows some of the basic parameters for the electoral systems of the individual EU Member States, the number of Deputies referred to corresponds to the existing provisions of the Treaty of Lisbon. The exact seat allocation process differs from country to country, most are the D' Hondt, Sainte- Laguë or Hare / Niemeyer method applied. Is listed explicitly in the following list only the preferential voting method, which is applied in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Malta.

The electoral system in Germany

Legal basis for the electoral process in Germany is the European Elections Act. The 96 German MEPs are elected in general, direct, free, equal and secret ballot. The allocation of seats is based on a nationwide calculation according to the system of proportional representation, where the 5 percent electoral threshold was applied to the 2009 European elections. % Electoral threshold in Germany unconstitutional - A ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court 2011 5. In June 2013, the Parliament passed a reform of the European election law, the future a 3 - provides % electoral threshold. This last barrier clause has also been tipped by the Constitutional Court on 26 February 2014. In the European elections in 2014, there is thus no more restrictive clause. To retract with a deputy in parliament, a party must reach about 0.5 percent of the vote. The choice is made on the basis of proposals list according to the principles of proportional representation.

Unlike in the general election the voter has only one vote, with which he can vote for a party or other political organization. The choice lists can be submitted as country lists for individual states or as a common list for all countries.

The allocation of seats in the European elections in 2009 after the Sainte- Laguë method, previously the Hare- Niemeyer method was applied. The electoral lists are closed; that is, the amounts attributable to the nominations vacancy shall be filled exactly in the specified order on the list, the voter can - unlike, for example in local elections in most provinces - not determine the order itself.

For each candidate there is a replacement candidate who accepts the mandate, if elected MP resigns from parliament. Only if no replacement candidate is named, the order of the list will be ignored. This scheme aims to ensure regional balance of German MEPs.

The right to vote for German voters is linked to the right to vote to the German Bundestag; So all Germans are entitled to vote within the meaning of Article 116 paragraph 1 of the Basic Law, the Bundestag have the right to vote on election day. The nationals of another EU state are entitled to vote, unless they are older than 18 years and for more than three months who reside in Germany. However, just as the Germans living in other EU countries, they have to decide whether to exercise their franchise in the State of their nationality or place of residence.

The electoral system in Austria

The European elections take place in Austria as proportional representation, in which the entire country constitutes a single electoral district. Voters select a list, but you can also choose a particular candidate on the list, which can act to improve its position in the list ( preferential vote ). The allocation of seats according to the D' Hondt method, with a minimum threshold for all lists that have achieved less than 4% of the total number of votes. The passive right to vote is reached at age 18, the active age of 16.

The electoral system in the other Member States

In Belgium, the allocation of 22 seats in three constituencies takes place (Flemish constituency 13 seats, Walloon constituency seats 8, of German-speaking constituency 1 seat). There is no threshold. For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used.

In Bulgaria, the allocation of 18 seats takes place in a national constituency. The electoral threshold is calculated from the ratio of valid votes divided by the number of seats to be awarded, ie for the election results of 2009 showed a restrictive clause of 2.576.434/17 = 151 555 votes. For the allocation of seats the Hare / Niemeyer method is used.

In Denmark, the allocation of 13 seats takes place in a national constituency without blocking clause. The parties may enter into Connections list. In the upper allotment ( in the Connections list ) and in the sub- allocation ( to the individual parties to a list), the D' Hondt method is used.

In Estonia, the allocation of six deputies takes place in a national constituency without blocking clause. For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used.

In Finland, the allocation of 13 seats takes place in a national constituency. There is no threshold. Parties can join together to form compounds list. In the upper allotment the D' Hondt method is used, while the seats go into the sub- allotment to the candidates with the most preferential votes.

In France, the election of 74 deputies by proportional representation with eight constituencies takes place. In the European elections in 2009 (with only 72 deputies were elected ) were in the constituency of Nord-Ouest 10 seats, 9 seats Ouest, Est 9 mandates, 10 mandates Sud-Ouest, Sud -Est 13 seats, Massif-Central/Centre 5 mandates, Ile -de -France 13 seats and Outre -Mer awarded three mandates. The restrictive clause is for each constituency 5 % of the valid votes. For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used.

In Greece, the allocation of 22 seats takes place in a national constituency. The minimum threshold is 3% of the valid votes. The allocation method is based on the involvement of lists which do not participate in the distribution, calculated Harequote and a zweigliederigen residual allocation of seats.

In the Republic of Ireland, the election shall be by the method of communicable Einzelstimmgebung ( preferential voting system ) with four constituencies (Dublin 3 seats, 3 seats East, North-West 3 seats, South 3 seats ) instead. There is no threshold.

In Italy, the allocation of 73 seats takes place in a national constituency. The electoral threshold is 4% of valid votes. The parties register lists district in five districts (North- Occidentale, North Orientale, Centrale, Meridional, Insular ). The seat allocation is done in two steps. In the upper allocation of seats to the various parties to the respective district lists are regarded as a federal list and the 73 seats are divided with the Hare / Niemeyer method between them. In the sub- allocations to the district lists are the seats, which has won a party split with the Hare / Niemeyer method to the five district lists. Within the district lists eventually go the mandates of the candidates with the most preferential votes. A special rule applies to parties of national minorities: these can enter list compounds with parties who compete in all five districts, and thus increase their chances of a mandate. If the top candidate of an allied minority party gets at least 50,000 preference votes, a seat is available to him. In the European elections in Italy in 2009 reached Herbert village man from the South Tyrolean People's Party with 84 361 votes a seat

In Latvia, the allocation of seats 9 takes place in a national constituency. The electoral threshold is 5% of the votes cast, but in practice a better election results is necessary due to the small number of seats to achieve a mandate. For the allocation of seats, the Sainte- Laguë method is used.

In Lithuania, the allocation of 12 seats takes place in a national constituency. The electoral threshold is 5% of the votes cast. For the allocation of seats the Hare / Niemeyer method is used with rounded- Hare quota.

In Luxembourg, the allocation of six seats takes place in a national constituency. There is no threshold. For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used.

In Malta, the allocation of six seats takes place in a national constituency. There is no threshold. For the seat allocation, the system of transferable Einzelstimmgebung ( preferential voting system ) is used.

In the Netherlands, the allocation of 26 seats takes place in a national constituency. There is no threshold. The parties may join together to form compounds list. In the upper allotment ( in the Connections list ) the D' Hondt method is used, while the seats are allocated in the sub- allocation ( to the individual parties ) after the Hare / Niemeyer method.

In Poland, the allocation of 50 seats takes place in a national constituency. The electoral threshold is 5% of the valid votes. The parties register lists country in 13 districts (Katowice, Warszawa 1, 2 Warszawa, Wrocław, Kraków, Poznań, Gdańsk, Łódź, Gorzów Wielkopolski, Bydgoszcz, Olsztyn, Lublin, Rzeszów). The seat allocation is done in two steps. In the upper allocation ( to the various parties ) the respective district lists are regarded as a federal list and the split the 50 seats D' Hondt method between them. In the sub- allocations to the district lists are the seats, each of which has won a party split with the Hare / Niemeyer method to the 13 district lists.

In Portugal, the allocation of 22 seats takes place in a national constituency. There is no threshold. For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used.

In Romania, the allocation of 33 seats takes place in a national constituency. There are two restrictive clauses: For parties it is 5 % of the valid votes for independent candidates it is calculated by the quotient of the valid votes by the number of seats to be awarded. For the election results in 2009, this resulted in a restrictive clause of 4.840.033/33 = 146 668 votes (about 2.9% of the vote). For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used.

In Sweden, the allocation of 20 seats takes place in a national constituency. The electoral threshold is 4% of valid votes. For the allocation of seats, the modified Sainte- Laguë method is used. A list of candidate may be ticked optional. If a candidate of at least 5 % of the voters of each party, such a direct voice, he is at first. If this applies to several decided by the higher number of direct votes.

In Slovakia, the allocation of 13 seats takes place in a national constituency. The electoral threshold is 5% of the valid votes. For the allocation of seats, the quota method is used with Droopquote and residual allocation of seats according to most residues.

In Slovenia, the allocation of seats 8 takes place in a national constituency. The electoral threshold is 4%. For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used.

In Spain, the allocation of 54 seats takes place in a national constituency without blocking clause. For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used. Regional and other smaller parties usually present joint lists in order to increase their chances of having a mandate. Partial agreements are thereby pre- made ​​that a recovered seat rotates during the legislative session between the parties a list.

In the Czech Republic the allocation of 22 seats takes place in a national constituency. The electoral threshold is 5% of the valid votes. For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used.

In Hungary, the allocation of 22 seats takes place in a national constituency. The electoral threshold is 5% of the valid votes. For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used.

In the UK, 73 members are elected. There is a proportional representation with twelve constituencies (Eastern 7 seats, East Midland 5 Seats, London 8 seats, Northeast 3 seats, Northwest 8 seats, Southeast 10 seats, Southwest 6 seats, West Midlands 7 seats, Yorkshire / Humber 6 seats, Scotland 6 seats, 4 seats Wales, Northern Ireland 3 seats ). For the allocation of seats the D' Hondt method is used. In the constituency Northern Ireland, some special rules apply, in particular here the method of the Transferable Einzelstimmgebung ( preferential voting system ) is applied.

In Cyprus, the allocation of six seats takes place in a national constituency. The restrictive clause is formally 1.8% of the valid votes; in fact a much better election results is necessary due to the low number of mandates to ever reach a seat. For the allocation of seats the Hare / Niemeyer method is used with a rounded Hare quota.

History and Importance of the European Election

In establishing the European Communities, the European Parliament had (at that time as a Parliamentary Assembly called ) hardly competencies. The MEPs were " appointed for a specific method by each Member State of the parliaments from among their " under Article 138, paragraph 1 of the Treaty, so they were each at the same time national parliamentarians. However, looked Article 138, paragraph 3 of the Treaty even the possibility of a general election before Europe; the Assembly should, according to him " designs for elections in accordance with a uniform procedure in all Member States " work out, which should then be unanimously adopted by the Council of Ministers and ratified by the Member States. This project, which was never fully implemented, thus essentially corresponded to the already present Article 223 TFEU.

It was not until 1976 - after the first enlargement of the Communities and in the midst of the euro crisis Sclerosis - succeeded gathered in the European Council, Heads of State and Government of the Member States to agree on the Direct Elections. This saw the introduction of European elections, albeit initially by each national rules. Although the European Parliament received no additional skills through the Direct Elections, the first European election in 1979 was seen as an important symbolic sign. The newly won democratic legitimacy of Parliament led to a rise in self-confidence to MEPs, which was reflected about the draft of the Parliament in 1984 adopted on the initiative by the Spinelli for a European Constitution. The strengthening of the powers of the Parliament was now seen as the best way to reduce the democratic deficit in Europe.

However, the real impotence of Parliament led quickly to the fact that the European elections in the Member States were considered to be elections, " second-rate ". Instead of European issues were the focus of the campaign most national issues, and already in the 1984 European elections, many voters took advantage of the European elections to punish their respective national government. The Europe-wide voter turnout fell to the 2009 European election from election to election, and was lower in almost all countries as the elections to the national parliament. From this low turnout benefited in many Member States, populist or extremist groups who achieved seats in the European Parliament.

The EU treaty reforms since the 1990s ( particularly the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992 ) by the Parliament must clearly gained skills compared to the other EU institutions, did not alter the trend of declining voter turnout and the dominance of national issues in the election campaign. The European political parties tried to counter this development by formulating common European election manifestos. Pioneer here was the European Green Party in the European elections in 2004; in the European elections in 2009 moved to almost all other European parties. However, this choice programs have had little attention in public.

As a deeper structural reasons as the lack of transnational lists and top candidates are seen, which would allow a pan-European personalization of elections. Background is the comparatively small influence of the European Parliament on the formation of the European executive: While some leaders are usually elected at the national level by the Parliament, the President of the European Commission of the European Council, the Heads of State and Government of the Member States, nominated by the European Parliament merely confirmed. However, here took to the influence of the European Parliament: The European Council 7 TEU must " take into account " the results of the previous European elections since the suggestion of presidential candidate under Article 17 para; usually belongs therefore to the Commission that Europe Party, which holds the largest party in parliament. Ahead of the European elections in 2009, there had therefore been a campaign among others, the European Movement and the Union of European Federalists, who urged that the European parties should provide various candidates to the debate already in the election campaign. However, the appointment of such top candidates failed due to disagreements within the European parties.

Also about a fundamental change in the electoral system, through which all or part of the MEPs would be elected no longer national, but on pan-European lists, was repeatedly discussed. A proposal in 2008 by Andrew Duff, the European Parliament's rapporteur on electoral reform, proposed and adopted by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs on 19 April 2011. It is intended to introduce transnational European election lists, for each European party or each group in the European Parliament 25 candidates may propose. The European Parliament would have 751 new members of the national lists and additionally 25 elected on transnational lists deputies. Such a reform would, however, make a change of the EU Treaty necessary and therefore would have to be ratified by all Member States of the EU.

Turnout trends

While the European turnout decreased continuously up to the European elections in 2009, it varied in some cases very considerably between the Member States. It is high in Belgium and Luxembourg, where voting is compulsory, but for example also in Italy and Malta. A particularly low turnout, there are, however, usually in the United Kingdom as well as in several of the EU enlargement in 2004, newly acceded Central and Eastern European States.

The following table shows the development of turnout in European elections in each country, in each case as a percentage of the electorate.

Previous European elections

  • COM: 44
  • SOC: 112
  • LD: 40
  • F'los: 10
  • CDI: 11
  • EPP: 108
  • ED: 63
  • EPD: 22
  • COM: 41
  • SOC: 130
  • RBW: 20
  • LD: 31
  • F'los: 7
  • EPP: 110
  • ED: 50
  • DFA: 29
  • ER: 16
  • COM: 43
  • Green: 28
  • SOC: 180
  • RBW: 13
  • LDR: 49
  • F'los: 12
  • EPP: 121
  • ED: 34
  • DFA: 20
  • DR: 17
  • VEL: 28
  • Green: 23
  • SPE: 198
  • ERA: 19
  • F'los: 27
  • ELDR: 44
  • EPP: 156
  • EN: 19
  • FE: 27
  • DFA: 26
  • VEL: 42
  • SPE: 180
  • G / EFA: 48
  • F'los: 9
  • ELDR: 50
  • EPP -ED: 233
  • EDU: 16
  • UEN: 30
  • TDI: 18
  • VEL: 41
  • SOC: 200
  • G / EFA: 42
  • F'los: 29
  • ALDE: 88
  • EPP -ED: 268
  • I / D: 37
  • UEN: 27
  • VEL: 35
  • S & D: 184
  • G / EFA: 55
  • F'los: 27
  • ALDE: 84
  • EPP: 265
  • ECR: 54
  • EFD: 32

The following table lists the distribution of seats in the European Parliament by political groups (absolute numbers and percentages ) since 1979, at the beginning and end of the legislature.

Previous European elections in Germany

Previous European elections in Austria

European Parliament election, 1979 Treaties of the European Union Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union European Parliament election, 2004 Decision (European Union) Open list Compulsory voting Panachage European Parliament election, 2014 (Germany) Federal Constitutional Court of Germany Apparentment Herbert Dorfmann Eurosclerosis Altiero Spinelli European Parliament election, 1984 European Parliament election, 1989 European Parliament election, 1994 European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (European Parliament group) Forza Italia Christian Social Union in Bavaria European Parliament election, 1979 (West Germany) European Parliament election, 1984 (West Germany) European Parliament election, 1989 (West Germany) European Parliament election, 1994 (Germany) European Parliament election, 1999 (Germany) European Parliament election, 2004 (Germany) Integrated Authority File
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