An election to the European
Parliament was held between 23 and 26 May 2019, the ninth parliamentary
election since the first direct elections in 1979. As of 2018, a total of 751 Members
of the European Parliament (MEPs) represent more than 512 million people from
28 member states. In February 2018, the European Parliament had voted to
decrease the number of MEPs from 751 to 705 if the United Kingdom United Kingdom
On 26 May 2019, the European People's Party led by Manfred Weber won the most seats in the European Parliament, making Weber the lead candidate to become the next President of the European Commission. The centre-left, far-left and centre-right parties suffered significant losses as environmentalist, pro-EU centrist liberal, Eurosceptic and far-right parties made substantial gains.
On 7 June 2018, the Council agreed at ambassador level to change the EU electoral law and to reform old laws from the 1976 Electoral Act. The purpose of the reform is to increase participation in elections, raise understanding of their European character and prevent irregular voting while at the same time respecting the constitutional and electoral traditions of the member states. The reform forbids double voting and voting in third countries, thus improving the visibility of European political parties. To avoid double voting, contact authorities are established to exchange data on voters, a process that has to start at least six weeks before the elections.
The European Parliament gave its consent on 4 July 2018 and the Act was adopted by the Council on 13 July 2018. However, member states were not able to ratify the Act prior to the 2019 elections and therefore this election took place in line with the previous rules.
The President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union. [This should not be confused with the Presidency of the Council of the European Union or President of the European Council.] The President of the Commission leads a cabinet of Commissioners, referred to as the college, collectively accountable to the European Parliament. The President is empowered to allocate portfolios amongst, reshuffle or dismiss Commissioners as necessary. The college directs the Commission's civil service, sets the policy agenda and determines the legislative proposals it produces (the Commission is the only body that can propose EU laws).
The President of the Commission also represents the EU abroad, together with the President of the European Council and the High Representative of theUnion
for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The Spitzenkandidat process involves the nomination by European political parties of candidates for the role of Commission President, the party winning the most seats in the European Parliament receiving the first opportunity to attempt to form a majority to back their candidate (akin to how heads of government are elected in national parliamentary democracies). This process was first used in 2014 and was opposed by some in the European Council. The future of the process is uncertain, but the European Parliament has attempted to codify the process and the parties are almost certain to select the candidates again. On 23 January 2018, the Constitutional Affairs Committee adopted a text stating that the Spitzenkandidat process could not be overturned, and that Parliament "will be ready to reject any candidate in the investiture procedure of the Commission President who was not appointed as a Spitzenkandidat in the run-up to the European elections".
In May 2018 a Eurobarometer poll suggested that 49% of the 27,601 individuals from all 28 EU countries surveyed think that the Spitzenkandidat process will help them vote in the next European elections while 70% also think that the process requires a real debate on European issues.
On 26 May 2019, the European People's Party led by Manfred Weber won the most seats in the European Parliament, making Weber the lead candidate to become the next President of the European Commission. The centre-left, far-left and centre-right parties suffered significant losses as environmentalist, pro-EU centrist liberal, Eurosceptic and far-right parties made substantial gains.
New EU Law
On 7 June 2018, the Council agreed at ambassador level to change the EU electoral law and to reform old laws from the 1976 Electoral Act. The purpose of the reform is to increase participation in elections, raise understanding of their European character and prevent irregular voting while at the same time respecting the constitutional and electoral traditions of the member states. The reform forbids double voting and voting in third countries, thus improving the visibility of European political parties. To avoid double voting, contact authorities are established to exchange data on voters, a process that has to start at least six weeks before the elections.
The European Parliament gave its consent on 4 July 2018 and the Act was adopted by the Council on 13 July 2018. However, member states were not able to ratify the Act prior to the 2019 elections and therefore this election took place in line with the previous rules.
Political Groups and
Candidates
The President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union. [This should not be confused with the Presidency of the Council of the European Union or President of the European Council.] The President of the Commission leads a cabinet of Commissioners, referred to as the college, collectively accountable to the European Parliament. The President is empowered to allocate portfolios amongst, reshuffle or dismiss Commissioners as necessary. The college directs the Commission's civil service, sets the policy agenda and determines the legislative proposals it produces (the Commission is the only body that can propose EU laws).
The President of the Commission also represents the EU abroad, together with the President of the European Council and the High Representative of the
The Spitzenkandidat process involves the nomination by European political parties of candidates for the role of Commission President, the party winning the most seats in the European Parliament receiving the first opportunity to attempt to form a majority to back their candidate (akin to how heads of government are elected in national parliamentary democracies). This process was first used in 2014 and was opposed by some in the European Council. The future of the process is uncertain, but the European Parliament has attempted to codify the process and the parties are almost certain to select the candidates again. On 23 January 2018, the Constitutional Affairs Committee adopted a text stating that the Spitzenkandidat process could not be overturned, and that Parliament "will be ready to reject any candidate in the investiture procedure of the Commission President who was not appointed as a Spitzenkandidat in the run-up to the European elections".
In May 2018 a Eurobarometer poll suggested that 49% of the 27,601 individuals from all 28 EU countries surveyed think that the Spitzenkandidat process will help them vote in the next European elections while 70% also think that the process requires a real debate on European issues.
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