European elections and the European Union

As the European Parliament elections reach their climax on Sunday, here are the key facts about voting across the continent and the European Union.

When?

Votes for members of the European Parliament will take place from June 6 to 9 across the European Union, but will vary by country.

The Dutch kicked off on Thursday, June 6th. Ireland followed on June 7, and then Latvia, Malta and Slovakia the following day. The Czech Republic and Italy voted over two days: June 7th to 8th and June 8th to 9th, respectively. In the rest of the EU, elections will be held on Sunday, June 9.

Who votes?

There are almost 360 million eligible voters in the EU. The minimum voting age varies, but in most European countries it is 18.

For the first time in Germany, minors can also vote, as the country’s voting age for European elections has been reduced from 18 to 16.

This increased the number of eligible voters in Germany from around 61.5 million in 2019 to just under 65 million this year.

Who is elected?

A total of 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEP) will be elected from among many thousands of candidates.

This represents fewer members than at the last election, in part because the parliament shrank when the UK left the EU in 2020.

Where is parliament based?

The European Parliament has two seats – in Brussels and in Strasbourg, France.

Most of its full “plenary” sessions, where all MEPs meet to vote on legislation, take place in Strasbourg. The Brussels parliament is mainly used for other day-to-day parliamentary business.

Will voters be choosing who will be in the EU’s other legislative bodies?

No, the elections will only decide who will sit in the European Parliament.

The EU’s other main legislative body, the EU Council, represents the member states. In it, national ministers meet in different formations, for example, all 27 EU Foreign Ministers or Education Ministers, to discuss topics of common interest.

The European Commission – which proposes draft legislation for the other two institutions to examine, amend or even reject – was not elected. It is led by 27 commissioners, including the commission president, each of whom was appointed by their country following the European elections.

How big is the EU?

The population of the 27 EU countries as a whole is just under 450 million. The countries have a combined GDP of almost 17 billion euros ($18.5 billion) and represent around 15% of global trade.

How old is the EU?

The 1957 Treaty of Rome created the European Economic Community, a precursor to the EU. Since the Maastricht Treaty of 1992, the group of countries has used the name European Union.

More countries have gradually joined the EU since then. Its most significant expansion occurred in 2004, with the accession of 10 countries, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe. The UK is the only country left.