Europaparlament - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. The European Parliament is one of the seven institutions of the European Union, representing the interests of EU citizens.
- 2. It is a directly elected body, with members (MEPs) elected by EU citizens every five years.
- 3. The European Parliament has legislative, supervisory, and budgetary powers within the EU institutional framework.
- 4. It has 705 members from all 27 EU member states, with seats allocated based on the population of each country.
- 5. The Parliament meets in two locations: Brussels (Belgium) and Strasbourg (France), with additional sessions held in Luxembourg.
- 6. The President of the European Parliament is elected for a two-and-a-half-year term and represents the Parliament externally.
- 7. The Parliament's work is organized into committees, which examine legislative proposals and prepare reports for plenary sessions.
- 8. MEPs belong to political groups, which are coalitions of members based on their political affiliation, rather than nationality.
- 9. The European Parliament plays a crucial role in shaping EU policies, including on issues such as trade, environment, and human rights.
- 10. It has the power to approve or reject EU legislation, as well as to scrutinize the work of the European Commission and other EU institutions.