Europawahl - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. The European Parliament elections, also known as the Europawahl, take place every five years in all European Union member states.
- 2. The Europawahl is the second largest democratic election in the world, with over 400 million eligible voters across the EU.
- 3. The European Parliament is made up of 705 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who are elected to represent the interests of EU citizens.
- 4. MEPs are elected through a system of proportional representation, meaning that the number of seats each political party receives is based on the percentage of votes they receive.
- 5. The Europawahl is an important opportunity for EU citizens to have a say in the direction of the European Union and the policies that affect their lives.
- 6. The European Parliament has the power to pass legislation, approve the EU budget, and hold the European Commission to account.
- 7. The Europawahl is also seen as a barometer of public opinion on key issues such as immigration, climate change, and economic policy.
- 8. Voter turnout in Europawahl elections has traditionally been lower than in national elections, with an average turnout of around 50% in recent years.
- 9. The results of the Europawahl can have a significant impact on the political landscape of the EU, with the composition of the European Parliament influencing decision-making at the EU level.
- 10. In the 2019 Europawahl, the center-right European People's Party (EPP) and the center-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) remained the two largest political groups in the European Parliament, but both lost seats to populist and nationalist parties.