BRUSSELS (AP) — About 400 million European Union citizens will go to the polls next month to elect members of the European Parliament, or MEPs, in one of the biggest global democratic events.
Far-right parties are trying to gain more power amid rising costs of living and farmers’ discontent, while wars in Gaza and Ukraine occupy voters’ attention.
One of the biggest questions is whether European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will continue to lead as the most visible face of the EU.
Here’s a look at the upcoming elections and the biggest issues at stake:
WHEN IS THE VOTING?
EU elections are held every five years in the 27-member bloc. This year is the tenth parliamentary election since the first polls in 1979, and the first after Brexit.
The voting will take place from June 6 to 9. The first results cannot be announced until the evening of June 9, after polling stations in all Member States have closed.
HOW DOES VOTING WORK?
The elections in the Netherlands start on a Thursday and end on a Sunday, when most countries hold their elections. Voting takes place via direct general election in one ballot paper.
The number of elected members in each country depends on the size of the population. It ranges from six for Malta, Luxembourg and Cyprus to 96 for Germany. In 2019, Europeans elected 751 lawmakers. After Britain’s departure from the EU in 2020, the number of MEPs fell to 705. Some of the 73 seats previously occupied by British MEPs had been redistributed among other member states.
After the elections, the European Parliament will have 15 additional members, bringing the total to 720. Twelve countries will receive additional MEPs.
Elections are contested by national political parties, but once elected, most legislators join transnational political groups.
WHO VOTES?
In some countries, people under the age of 18 are allowed to vote. In Belgium, a law passed in 2022 lowered the minimum voting age to 16. Germany, Malta and Austria also allow 16-year-olds to vote. In Greece, the youngest voting age is 17 years old. In all other Member States this is 18 years.
There is also a minimum age requirement to stand for election: from 18 in most countries to 25 in Italy and Greece.
What about attendance?
European Union elections do not usually see huge turnouts, but there was a clear increase in public interest in the 2019 elections. At 50.7%, turnout was eight points higher than in 2014, having fallen steadily since 1979, when turnout reached 62%.
In April, the latest edition of the European Parliament’s Eurobarometer revealed a surge of interest in the upcoming elections. About 71% of Europeans said they were likely to vote.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES?
Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine is top of mind for citizens, with defense and security seen as key issues in the campaign. At national level, the EU’s defense and security was ranked first in nine countries.
The economy, employment, poverty and social exclusion, public health, climate change and the future of Europe also feature prominently as issues.
WHAT DO EU LEGISLATION DO?
The European Parliament is the only EU institution elected by European citizens. It is a real counter-power to the EU’s powerful executive arm, the European Commission.
Parliament does not have the initiative to propose legislation. But his powers are increasing. It now has jurisdiction over a wide range of issues and votes on laws related to the climate, banking rules, agriculture, fisheries, security or justice. The legislature also votes on the EU budget, which is crucial for the implementation of European policies, including, for example, aid to Ukraine.
Lawmakers are also an important part of the checks and balances system, as they must approve the appointment of all EU commissioners, who are the equivalent of ministers. And it could also force the entire committee to resign with a two-thirds majority.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT COMPOSITION OF PARLIAMENT?
With 176 seats out of 705 at the end of the last plenary session in April, the centre-right European People’s Party is the largest political group in the European Parliament.
Von der Leyen belongs to the EPP and hopes to remain at the helm of the EU’s executive branch after the elections.
The second largest group is the S&D, the political group of the centre-left Party of European Socialists, which currently has 139 seats. The liberal and pro-European Renew group has 102 seats, ahead of an alliance made up of green and regionalist political parties that holds 72 seats.
The extreme right seems to be making gains
Two groups with far-right parties, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Identity and Democracy (ID), could be on track to become the third and fourth largest political groups in the European Parliament. The two groups have many differences and it is unclear to what extent they could cooperate and influence the EU’s agenda, especially the EU’s efforts to support Ukraine against Russia in the war.
The EVP and S&D are expected to remain stable. Liberals and Greens could both take a hit after making big gains in the previous election.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE ELECTION?
Once the weight of each political power has been determined, MEPs will elect their president during the first plenary session, from July 16 to 19. They will then most likely appoint the President of the European Commission in September, after weeks of negotiations, on a proposal from the Member States.
In 2019, Von der Leyen won a narrow majority (383 votes in favor, 327 against, 22 abstentions), becoming the first woman to lead the institution. MEPs will also hear from European commissioners before approving them in a single vote.
Von der Leyen has good chances of being appointed to another team, but she must be able to secure the support of sufficient leaders. She has also antagonized many lawmakers by suggesting she could work with the far right depending on the outcome of the election.
