SUMAR Elecciones Europeas - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union, representing the interests of EU citizens. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are elected every five years.
- 2. The most recent European Parliament elections took place in May 2019, with over 400 million eligible voters across 28 EU member states.
- 3. The elections are held using proportional representation, meaning that the number of MEPs each political party receives is proportional to the number of votes they receive.
- 4. The European Parliament has 751 seats, with each country allocated a certain number of seats based on its population size.
- 5. MEPs have a range of powers, including passing EU legislation, approving the EU budget, and holding the European Commission to account.
- 6. The European Parliament elections are important as they shape the direction and policies of the EU for the next five years.
- 7. Voter turnout for European Parliament elections has been historically low, with only around 50-60% of eligible voters participating in recent elections.
- 8. The 2019 European Parliament elections saw an increase in voter turnout, reaching around 50.6%, the highest in 20 years.
- 9. The results of the elections saw gains for both pro-EU and Eurosceptic parties, with the center-right European People's Party and the center-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats remaining the two largest groups in the Parliament.
- 10. The European Parliament elections are seen as a barometer of public opinion towards the EU and can influence the political landscape of Europe.