European Parliament elections this week: what happens & how?

The EP also approves the EU budget and votes on international agreements and enlargements of the bloc. It also has the power to approve or reject the appointment of the European Commission president — currently Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen — and the commissioners.

Unlike national parliaments, the EP does not have the right to propose laws but can only negotiate those proposed by the executive European Commission. The EP comprises 720 Members (MEPs) elected every five years. The MEPs then elect their president for a term of two and a half years.

Who can vote in the elections?

In 21 member states, people aged 18 and above can vote. In Belgium, Germany, Austria and Malta, the minimum voting age is 16. In Greece, people who turn 17 during the election year can vote, and in Hungary, married individuals can vote regardless of age.

Citizens living in another EU country can choose to vote for candidates either from their country of origin or from their country of residence.

How is voting done?

In some member states, voters can only choose closed lists that do not allow change of order for preferred candidates, while in others they can select individual candidates in a preferential system.

Depending on national laws, some electors abroad can vote at their national embassies, via mail or electronically.

Who can run?

All candidates must be EU citizens. Voters may choose from individual candidates or political parties’ delegates, depending on the country. Once elected, politicians from each nation will flow into the European groups that form the Parliament, based on political orientations.

Elected individuals cannot hold functions in national governments or other political bodies such as the EU Commission.

What will the likely result be?

Six in 10 EU citizens have expressed their interest in voting in these elections, a survey by the bloc’s statistics agency Eurostat showed in April.

A projection by poll aggregator Europe Elects forecast in April that out of the 720 seats, the Group of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) would win 183, the centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists And Democrats (S&D) 140, Renew Europe (RE) and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) 86 each.