When: Thursday 23rd May to Sunday 26th May 2019
What: Potentially 400 million voters across Europe (including the UK!), taking part in EU wide elections to decide who sits in the 751 member strong European Parliament, the legislature of the EU and the only directly elected EU institution.
How: Each individual member state has their own rules for voting, you can find out more information here.
Who: National parties in each individual member state co-operate across Europe to form political groups within the European Parliament, and each can nominate a Spitzenkandidat, or leading candidate, for the role of President of the European Commission, which is currently held by Jean-Claude Juncker. He announced that he's not standing for re-election, meaning that one of the top positions in the European Union will change hands.
European People's Party (EPP)
Ideology: Centre Right/Christian Democratic
Notable National Parties: CDU/CSU (Germany), Les Républicains (France), CD&V (Belgium), Forza Italia (Italy), People's Party (Spain), Fidesz (Hungary) (Suspended)
Spitzenkandidat: Manfred Weber
Current Seats: 217
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)
Ideology: Centre Left/Social Democracy
Notable National Parties: SPD (Germany), PS (France), Labour (UK), Democratic Party (Italy), PSOE (Spain), PSD (Romania)
Spitzenkandidat: Frans Timmermans
Current Seats: 187
European Conservatives and Reformers (ECR)
Ideology: Right/Eurosceptic
Notable National Parties: Conservatives (UK), Law and Justice (Poland)
Spitzenkandidat: Jan Zahradil
Current Seats: 76
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)
Ideology: Liberal/Centrist/European Federalism
Notable National Parties: VLD (Belgium), VVD (Netherlands), D66 (Netherlands), Liberal Democrats (UK), FDP (Germany), to be joined by Macron's En Marche/Renaissance (France)
Spitzenkandidat: Guy Verhofstadt
Current Seats: 68
European United Left - Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)
Ideology: Democratic Socialism/Communist
Notable National Parties: Die Linke (Germany), Syriza (Greece), Sinn Fein (Republic of Ireland/UK), Podemos (Spain)
Spitzenkandidates: Violeta Tomič, Nico Cué
Current Seats: 52
Greens - European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA)
Ideology: Green/Regionalism
Notable National Parties: The Greens (Germany), Green Party (Sweden), Green Party of England and Wales (UK), Scottish National Party (UK), Green Left (Netherlands)
Spitzenkandidates: Ska Keller, Bas Eickhout
Current Seats: 52
Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) (Plans on disbanding after this election)
Ideology: Euroscepticism/Direct Democracy/Brexit Means Brexit
Notable National Parties: Five Star Movement (Italy), Brexit Party (UK)
Leader: Nigel Farage
Current Seats: 41
Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF)
Ideology: Far Right Nationalism
Notable National Parties: FN (France), Northern League (Italy), UKIP (UK)
Leader: Nicolas Bay
Current Seats: 37
Why:
The European Parliament is the only legislative body in the world whose decisions have direct legal effect in multiple sovereign nations, on everything from trade, migration, regulations, climate change and the economy. More fundamentally though, it's about what sort of Europe you want to see (or want to get out of!)
Useful Links:
https://www.howtovote.eu/ <- shows how and when to vote in each country and from where the person voting is.
https://www.factcheckeu.info/ <- fact checking website
https://www.votewatch.eu/ <- website to check how a specific MEP voted in certain issues
https://yourvotematters.eu/ <- website where one can fill a questionare and see the MEP that are more likely to vote in a similar way
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As always, let me know what I fucked up below, and I'll change it as soon as I can. Or if you've some suggestions for things to add, let me know too.
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