European Parliament elections: How are they organized, and who can vote?

About 373 million citizens of the 27 European Union member states will be able to vote in the European Parliament elections, which will be held on 6 June-9 June.

What is the European Parliament?

The European Parliament is the only European Union body representing citizens of member states. Its primary function includes negotiating EU laws with members of governments, represented by the European Council.

The European Parliament also approves the EU budget and votes for international agreements, as well as for the European bloc's expansion.

This institution has the supervisory response, including the power to approve or refuse the appointment of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the commissionors.

Unlike national parliaments, the European Parliament has no right to propose laws, but can negotiate laws proposed by the European Commission.

The European Parliament consists of 720 members and elections to be held every five years.

MPs from this institution later elect the president for a two-and-a-half-year term.

The current president in the past is Roberta Metsola of Italy.

Who can vote?

In 21 member states, citizens over the age of 18.

In Belgium, Germany, Austria and Malta, the minimum age is 16.

Citizens of Greece, who have turned 17 in the election year, will also be able to vote, while in Hungary, married individuals can vote regardless of their age.

EU citizens can vote in their country of origin, or even abroad.

The outside vote is allowed in all member states, except in Czechia, Ireland, Malta and Slovakia.

In Bulgaria and Italy, this right belongs only to those living within the European bloc.

Citizens living in another EU country may choose to vote from the state of origin, or for the candidates of the state they live in.

Voters can choose which candidate the country will vote for, but are not allowed to vote in two states at the same time.

How do you vote?

In some member states, voters will be able to choose a candidate from close lists so no change in the order of the preferred candidates is allowed, while in some other countries, they can choose individual candidates through a preferential system.

Depending on national laws, some voters can exploit their right in national embassies, via mail, or electronically.

Who can race as a candidate?

Voters can choose individual candidates or delegates from political parties, depending on the state.

After elected, politicians from each country gather in European groups, depending on political orientation, to form Parliament.

Several member states, including Germany, determine that only members of political parties or political-related figures can be nominated for the European Parliament elections.

Individuals selected cannot hold positions in national governments or other political troops, like the European Commission, Court of Justice or the Court of Auditors.

Above all, all candidates must be EU citizens.

Forecasts of the 2024 elections

Six out of 10 EU citizens have expressed interest in voting in this election, a survey conducted by the EU Statistics Agency Eurostat showed in April.

The forecasts of the next Europe Elects survey show that of the 720 seats in the European Parliament, the group of European People's Party, belonging to the centre-right, will win 180 seats, the Alliance of Progress of Socialists and Democrats, which belongs to the centre-left, are expected to win 138 seats, while innovation Europe, liberal centre party, is expected to win 86 seats.

European conservatives and Reformers are expected to win 75 seats, while identity and Democracy are expected to win 68 seats.

Other smaller parties are expected to jointly win 173 seats, according to the survey.

The results of 2019 elections

A major change in party forces has occurred in past elections, as centre-right and centre-left parties have lost a part of the vote against smaller parties.

The European People's Party and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats have lost 76 seats together.

This means that they have lost most, long enjoyed it.

Something like that has resulted in the creation of coalitions with centrist party groups and pro-EU ones, such as the renovation of Europe and the Turkey.

Votering that year had reached 50.66 percent higher in 20 years than 8 percent growth since 2014.

Such a reality tells of an increase in public interest in issues such as climate change, migration and economic inequality. / REL