10th European Parliamentary election
The 2024 European Parliament election was held in the European Union (EU) between 6 and 9 June 2024. It was the tenth parliamentary election since the first direct elections in 1979, and the first European Parliament election after Brexit. A total of 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were elected to represent more than 450 million people from 27 member states. This election also coincided with a number of other elections in some European Union member states.
The European People's Party led by Ursula von der Leyen won the most seats in the European Parliament. The pro-EU centrist, liberal, social democrat and environmentalist parties suffered losses, while anti-EU right-wing populist parties made gains. The right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists group overtook the centrist Renew Europe group to win the fourth most seats, while another right-wing group, Patriots for Europe, the successor of Identity and Democracy, won the third most seats. In addition, a far-right group, Europe of Sovereign Nations, was formed, becoming the smallest group in the Parliament. In total, 187 MEPS (25% of Parliament) belonged to the hard-right which is more members than ever before in history.
On 18 July 2024, Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected President of the European Commission in a secret ballot by the European Parliament.
Background.
In the previous election, held on 23–26 May 2019, in terms of the political Groups in the Parliament, they resulted in the EPP Group and S&amp;D suffering significant losses, while the liberal/centrist (Renew), the Greens/EFA and ID made substantial gains, with ECR and The Left had small reduction. The European People's Party, led by Manfred Weber, won the most seats in the European Parliament, but was then unable to secure support from other parties for Weber as candidate for President of the Commission. After initial deadlock, the European Council decided to nominate Ursula von der Leyen as a compromise candidate to be the new Commission President, and the European Parliament elected von der Leyen with 383 votes (374 votes needed). The commission as a whole was then approved by the European Parliament on 27 November 2019, receiving 461 votes.
The 2019 election saw an increase in the turnout, when 50.7% of eligible voters had cast a vote compared with 42.5% of the 2014 election. This was the first time that turnout had increased since the first European Parliament election in 1979. In 2024, the Eurobarometer data shows that 71% of Europeans say they are likely to vote in June, 10% higher than those who said they would in 2019.
Since the last European-wide election, the right has continued to rise across Europe, remaining however split, mainly by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Russian relations issue. In 2024, before the European elections, right-wing populist parties hold or share political power in Hungary (Fidesz), Italy (Brothers of Italy), Sweden (Sweden Democrats), Finland (Finns Party), Slovakia (Slovak National Party) and Croatia (Homeland Movement). The centre-right EPP has "raised eyebrows" among some commentators for its efforts to charm parties in the ECR to create a broad conservative block, which could upset the long-standing status-quo that has seen the EPP share power with the centre-left S&amp;D and the centrist Renew Group.
Qatargate.
The Qatargate corruption scandal, which began in December 2022, had destabilized the European Parliament following the arrest of several MEPs including Marc Tarabella; Andrea Cozzolino and Eva Kaili who was stripped of her vice presidency. Other suspects in the case include Francesco Giorgi, the parliamentary assistant of MEP Andrea Cozzolino, Pier Antonio Panzeri, founder of the Fight Impunity NGO; Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, head of the No Peace Without Justice NGO; and Luca Visentini, head of the International Trade Union Confederation. Following the scandal, the European Parliament revised its rules of procedure and its code of conduct in September 2023
Hungary.
The European Parliament views Hungary as a "hybrid regime of electoral autocracy" since 2022 and considers Hungary according to Article 7.1 of the Treaty on European Union in clear risk of a serious breach of the Treaty on European Union.
In January 2024, a majority of European Parliament MEPs voted for a resolution demanding that the EU Council considers that Hungary be stripped of its EU voting rights under Article 7 of the Treaty.
Date of the election.
The dates chosen for the elections conflicted with a long weekend in Portugal, where Portugal Day, a national holiday, was celebrated on 10 June, which was expected to suppress turnout. Despite an attempt by Portuguese leaders to find a compromise, no change was made to the default date of 6–9 June, which required unanimity to be changed.
Electoral system.
Elections to the European Parliament are regulated by the Treaty on European Union, Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage (the Electoral Act). The Electoral Act states that the electoral procedure is governed by the national provisions in each member state, subject to the provisions of the act. Elections are conducted by direct universal suffrage by proportional representation using either a list system or single transferable vote. The national electoral threshold may not exceed 5% of votes cast.
Attempts at electoral reform.
In June 2018, the Council agreed to change the EU electoral law and to reform old laws from the 1976 Electoral Act as amended in 2002. New provisions included a mandatory 2% threshold for countries with more than 35 seats and rules to prevent voters from voting in multiple countries. After the Act was adopted by the Council following consent given by the European Parliament in July 2018, not all member states ratified the Act prior to the 2019 elections, which took place under the old rules. As of 2023, the reform has yet to be ratified by Cyprus and Spain; Germany only ratified in summer 2023.
On 3 May 2022, the European Parliament voted to propose a new electoral law, which would contain provisions for electing 28 seats on transnational lists. As of 2024, this reform has not been approved by the Council, which must approve it unanimously, meaning the election will be conducted under the 1976 Electoral Act as amended in 2002.
Apportionment.
As a result of Brexit, 27 seats from the British delegation were distributed to other countries in January 2020 (those elected in 2019, but not yet seated took their seats). The other 46 seats were abolished with the total number of MEPs decreasing from 751 to 705.
A report in the European Parliament proposed in February 2023 to modify the apportionment in the European Parliament and increase the number of MEPs from 705 to 716 in order to adapt to the development of the population and preserve degressive proportionality. It was passed in the plenary in June 2023. On 26 July 2023, the Council reached a preliminary agreement, which would increase the size of the European Parliament to 720 seats. On 13 September 2023, the European Parliament consented to this decision, which was adopted by the European Council on 22 September 2023.
Lead candidates.
Spitzenkandidat system.
In the run-up to the 2014 European Parliament elections a new informal system was unveiled for the selection of the European Commission President (known colloquially as the Spitzenkandidat system) dictating that whichever party group gained the most seats (or the one able to secure the support of a majority coalition) would see their candidate become President of the Commission. In 2014, the candidate of the largest group, Jean-Claude Juncker, was eventually nominated and elected as Commission President. European party leaders aimed to reintroduce the system in 2019, with them selecting lead candidates and organizing a televised debate between those candidates. In the aftermath of the election German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen was chosen as Commission President, even though she had not been a candidate prior to the election, while Manfred Weber, lead candidate for the EPP, which had gained the most seats, was not nominated as he was unable to secure support from any other party. Following this appointment of a Commission President who had not been a Spitzenkandidat, some called for the system to be abandoned, while others called for it to be revived in the 2024 elections.
In 2023, multiple political parties at the European level announced their intentions to nominate a main candidate. ECR and ID have rejected doing so.
European People's Party.
The centre-right EPP held its congress in Bucharest on 6–7 March 2024 to elect its presidential candidate and adopt its election programme. Nominees required the backing of their own member party and not more than two other EPP member parties from EU countries, with nominations closing on February 21.
On 19 February 2024, Ursula von der Leyen announced her intention to run, supported by the CDU. On 7 March von der Leyen was elected presidential candidate with 400 votes in favour, 89 against and 10 blank, out of the 737 EPP delegates at the EPP congress. Among others, it is believed that the French and Slovenian delegations voted against.
Party of European Socialists.
The centre-left PES held its congress in Rome on 2 March. Nominees required the backing of nine PES full member parties or organisations, with nominations closing on 17 January.
On 18 January, the PES announced that the Luxembourgish European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit was the sole nominee to meet the nominating requirements. He was then nominated on 2 March during the party congress, along with the adoption of the election programme.
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party.
The ALDE party held its extraordinary congress in Brussels on 20–21 March 2024. On 7 March 2024, following months of speculation, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas announced that she had rejected the offer from ALDE to be the party's Spitzenkandidat. Luxembourg's former Prime Minister Xavier Bettel announced that he is not interested in the post either.
On 11 March, the German FDP nominated Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann to become presidential candidate. She was then elected on March 20 during the party congress, along with the adoption of the election programme.
European Democratic Party.
During the 8 March 2024 Convention in Florence, the European Democratic Party nominated Sandro Gozi as its lead candidate and approved its election programme.
European Green Party.
During the 2–4 February 2024 congress in Lyon, the European Green Party elected Terry Reintke and Bas Eickhout as its two presidential candidates and adopted its election programme. Nominees were Bas Eickhout, Elīna Pinto, Terry Reintke, Benedetta Scuderi.
European Free Alliance.
In October 2023, the congress of the European Free Alliance elected Maylis Roßberg and Raül Romeva as its presidential candidates, and adopted its election programme.
Party of the European Left.
During the 24–25 February 2024 congress in Ljubljana, the PEL elected Walter Baier as its presidential candidate and adopted its election programme.
European Christian Political Movement.
In a meeting held on 24 February 2024, the European Christian Political Movement appointed party president Valeriu Ghilețchi as its lead candidate for the European Commission.
European Pirate Party.
At its General Assembly in Luxembourg in January 2024, the European Pirate Party nominated Marcel Kolaja and Anja Hirschel as lead candidates.
Volt Europa.
On 27 November 2023, Volt Europa adopted its European election programme at its General Assembly in Paris. During the 6–7 April 2024 campaign launch event in Brussels the party elected German MEP Damian Boeselager and Dutch MEP Sophie in 't Veld as its lead candidates. Regarding which European Parliament group to join after the elections, Boeselager said he was “"open to discussions"” between remaining in Greens/EFA or joining Renew Europe in due course. To emphasise its demand for transnational lists, Volt Europa also presented a symbolic transnational list for the election alongside its leading candidates.
Issues.
Immigration.
Immigration was cited by "Politico" as a key issue in elections in several countries, including Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland and Sweden.
Potential enlargement.
Various sources wrote that an increased influence of right-wing and far-right parties in the European Parliament could derail Ukrainian accession, as polling showed low support for EU enlargement in countries where such parties have power. Exceptions were Poland's Law and Justice supporting Ukrainian accession, and Hungary's Fidesz – a party highly sceptical of Ukraine – being in favour of bids from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, two countries with governments favourable to Russia.
Campaign.
The future of Ursula von der Leyen.
Ursula von der Leyen, the current European Commission President, did not formally announce her intention to stand for a second term until February 2024. This led to speculation about other potential EPP candidates, such as