News
BackThe upcoming European Parliament elections will probably be brought forward by two weeks to 22 to 25. May 2014. This move shall increase voter turnout and speed up the decision by the Parliament regarding a new Commission President. This week, the Commission adopted recommendations for the election of the then 751 MEPs, which are supposed to make European Parliament elections more attractive: better information for citizens, a common day for the elections, clearly recognizable party affiliations and candidates for the office of Commission President nominated by the parties, shall strengthen pan-European democracy and stimulate corresponding debates.
This week, representatives of the Member States have adopted a draft, according to which the upcoming European Parliament elections shall be brought forward by two weeks – instead of 5 to 8 June to 22 to 25 Mai 2014. This move is to avoid lower voter turnout because of the Whitsun holidays and to strengthen the democratic legitimacy of Parliament. In addition, future Members of Parliament would have more time to decide on the Commission Presidency, which would speed up this process. Apart from that, no early summer holidays would get in the way. This draft on bringing the elections forward is in accordance with Parliament’s wishes; it now has to be adopted by Parliament and later unanimously approved of by the Council. Both are considered safe.
Recommendations by Commission
What are the conditions under which the upcoming 2014 elections shall take place and how might these strengthen the democratic legitimacy of European decisions? To answer this question, the Commission adopted some recommendations on Tuesday, which shall put the EU more in touch with people and enhance the role of the EU citizen as a political actor in the EU. From the point of the Commission, the following four points shall result in an increased interest in the European elections, stimulate pan-European debates on the common future and endow the growing integration towards a genuine economic and monetary union with democratic legitimacy and accountability.
-Firstly, EU Member States shall agree a common day for the 2014 elections. So far, elections always took place over a four-day period, which obviously diminishes the attractiveness of the election itself.
-Secondly, prior to the elections, the national parties shall make clear to which European political party they are affiliated.
-Thirdly – so the Commission in its recommendations – the European parties shall enter the election campaign with nominated candidates for the office of President of the European Commission. This would mean for instance that Europe’s liberal parties agree on one candidate who they nominate.
-Fourthly, during the election campaign the national parties shall make an effort to put their (potential) voters of this “presidential candidate” resp. the candidate nominated for the office of President of the European Commission within the respective European “party family” more in touch with each other. In doing so, the Commission apparently aims at personalising the election campaign at European level, which, however, could also make decisions and policies of the new Commission more comprehensible.
Primarily, these recommendations are to initiate Europe-wide and European discussions; however, they will be made concrete in time for the next Parliament elections with amendment drafts. The initiatives by the Commission are supported by the latest figures of the Eurobarometer survey: 84 % of EU citizens believe that voter turnout could be increased if voters were provided with more information on the programme and objectives of candidates and parties in the European Parliament, the European elections itself and the impact of the European Union on their daily life. 73 % think it would be good for turnout if voters would be informed about the connection between national and affiliated European party. A majority of 62 % believes a single voting day and having party candidates for Commission President would help to increase turnout.
Background of the recommendations
These Commission recommendations, which are aimed at increasing the democratic legitimacy of Parliament elections, did not happen by chance. The Treaty of Lisbon, which came into force at the end of 2009, has strengthened the formal role of EU citizens as political actors and provided the EU Parliament with more participation rights with regard to legislation resp. budget preparation. It is also a principal task of the EU Parliament – based on a recommendation by the Council – to decide on a Commission President. These institutional links between Commission and EU Parliament could become clear during election campaigns and made visible by the nomination of candidates. The points, which now have been proposed, are based on a Commission Regulation on Strengthening European Parties and a European Parliament resolution of 22 November 2012 on the elections to the European Parliament in 2014. The latter urges political parties to give candidates for the Presidency of the Commission the opportunity to play a leading role in the parliamentary electoral campaign. In addition, during the past months, a number of speeches and documents by the Commission and the Council pointed out that an increasingly integrated economic and monetary union had to be complemented by legitimacy that is more democratic. These changes to the European elections would mark a step in this direction and present an opportunity to increasingly initiate discussions on the institutional and content-related orientation of the Union at European level. Alternatively, as the Vice President of the Commission Viviane Reding commented on the recommendation package in a press conference: “Next year’s elections to the European Parliament should be about European issues, and not be used or abused for national reasons or to express frustration vis-à-vis a national government.”
Additional information:
Eurobarometer on electoral rights
Recommendations by Commission
What are the conditions under which the upcoming 2014 elections shall take place and how might these strengthen the democratic legitimacy of European decisions? To answer this question, the Commission adopted some recommendations on Tuesday, which shall put the EU more in touch with people and enhance the role of the EU citizen as a political actor in the EU. From the point of the Commission, the following four points shall result in an increased interest in the European elections, stimulate pan-European debates on the common future and endow the growing integration towards a genuine economic and monetary union with democratic legitimacy and accountability.
-Firstly, EU Member States shall agree a common day for the 2014 elections. So far, elections always took place over a four-day period, which obviously diminishes the attractiveness of the election itself.
-Secondly, prior to the elections, the national parties shall make clear to which European political party they are affiliated.
-Thirdly – so the Commission in its recommendations – the European parties shall enter the election campaign with nominated candidates for the office of President of the European Commission. This would mean for instance that Europe’s liberal parties agree on one candidate who they nominate.
-Fourthly, during the election campaign the national parties shall make an effort to put their (potential) voters of this “presidential candidate” resp. the candidate nominated for the office of President of the European Commission within the respective European “party family” more in touch with each other. In doing so, the Commission apparently aims at personalising the election campaign at European level, which, however, could also make decisions and policies of the new Commission more comprehensible.
Primarily, these recommendations are to initiate Europe-wide and European discussions; however, they will be made concrete in time for the next Parliament elections with amendment drafts. The initiatives by the Commission are supported by the latest figures of the Eurobarometer survey: 84 % of EU citizens believe that voter turnout could be increased if voters were provided with more information on the programme and objectives of candidates and parties in the European Parliament, the European elections itself and the impact of the European Union on their daily life. 73 % think it would be good for turnout if voters would be informed about the connection between national and affiliated European party. A majority of 62 % believes a single voting day and having party candidates for Commission President would help to increase turnout.
Background of the recommendations
These Commission recommendations, which are aimed at increasing the democratic legitimacy of Parliament elections, did not happen by chance. The Treaty of Lisbon, which came into force at the end of 2009, has strengthened the formal role of EU citizens as political actors and provided the EU Parliament with more participation rights with regard to legislation resp. budget preparation. It is also a principal task of the EU Parliament – based on a recommendation by the Council – to decide on a Commission President. These institutional links between Commission and EU Parliament could become clear during election campaigns and made visible by the nomination of candidates. The points, which now have been proposed, are based on a Commission Regulation on Strengthening European Parties and a European Parliament resolution of 22 November 2012 on the elections to the European Parliament in 2014. The latter urges political parties to give candidates for the Presidency of the Commission the opportunity to play a leading role in the parliamentary electoral campaign. In addition, during the past months, a number of speeches and documents by the Commission and the Council pointed out that an increasingly integrated economic and monetary union had to be complemented by legitimacy that is more democratic. These changes to the European elections would mark a step in this direction and present an opportunity to increasingly initiate discussions on the institutional and content-related orientation of the Union at European level. Alternatively, as the Vice President of the Commission Viviane Reding commented on the recommendation package in a press conference: “Next year’s elections to the European Parliament should be about European issues, and not be used or abused for national reasons or to express frustration vis-à-vis a national government.”
Additional information:
Eurobarometer on electoral rights