How European elections work
Every five years, European Union citizens elect Members of the European Parliament.
In European elections, citizens of European Union countries elect their representatives as Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
Voting in European electionsWhy are European elections important?
The European elections are one of the biggest democratic votes in the world!
Every 5 years, voters choose over 700 Members of the European Parliament who represent you!
Once elected, they sit in political groups based on shared beliefs.
EU citizens can vote and stand for election in their own country, or the EU country they live in.
Your vote decides how Parliament decides on the things that matter:
the economy, energy and climate, Europe’s place in the world.
By voting you make your voice heard, you help choose the next European Parliament and you decide on your future!
Democracy in action
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the world’s only directly elected transnational assembly. The Members of the European Parliament represent the interests of EU citizens at the European level.
How the European Parliament worksWhat is the European Parliament?
It’s the only EU body directly elected by the people!
Every 5 years, voters choose over 700 members - or MEPs - to represent nearly 450 million Europeans.
MEPs work on your behalf, debating, shaping and passing laws on issues central to our daily lives.
Parliament defends freedom, equality and the rule of law across the EU and promotes democracy and human rights around the world.
It elects the president of the European Commission and makes sure EU institutions are doing their job properly.
MEPs decide how the EU’s money is spent and sign off on the EU budget.
The European Parliament is your link to the decisions that matter!
Democracy in action
European Parliament
Together with representatives of the governments of EU countries, MEPs shape and decide on new laws that influence all aspects of lives across the European Union, from supporting the economy and the fight against poverty to climate change and security.
MEPs put important political, economic and social topics in the spotlight and uphold the values of the European Union: respect for human rights, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law.
Parliament approves the EU budget and scrutinises how the money is spent. It also elects the President of the European Commission, appoints its Commissioners and holds them to account.
The role of Members of the European ParliamentWhat do MEPs do for you?
They’re your link to decisions that shape the EU!
You vote for them, then they vote for you in the European Parliament.
That’s where MEPs work to protect your interests, improving and passing the laws that affect your daily lives.
MEPs are there to listen to people’s concerns and act on them, to consult with civil society and businesses, making sure everyone has a voice at EU level.
And remember:
MEPs represent you.
You choose them by voting in the European elections, every five years.
Democracy in action
European Parliament
European elections are held every five years. The last European elections took place in May 2019.
The next European elections will be held on 6-9 June 2024.
It is up to each country to manage the election, but there are some common principles they must apply.
- Elections take place during a four-day period, from Thursday to Sunday.
- The number of MEPs elected from a political party is proportional to the number of votes it receives.
- EU citizens resident in another EU country can vote and stand for election there.
- Each citizen can vote only once.
Find out how the European elections are organised in your country.
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A total of 720 MEPs will be elected in June 2024, 15 more compared to the previous elections.
As a general rule, the number of MEPs is decided before each election. The total cannot exceed 750 plus the president.
Here is the number of MEPs to be elected in each country in the 2024 European elections:
- Germany: 96
- France: 81
- Italy: 76
- Spain: 61
- Poland: 53
- Romania: 33
- Netherlands: 31
- Belgium: 22
- Greece: 21
- Czechia: 21
- Sweden: 21
- Portugal: 21
- Hungary: 21
- Austria: 20
- Bulgaria: 17
- Denmark: 15
- Finland: 15
- Slovakia: 15
- Ireland: 14
- Croatia: 12
- Lithuania: 11
- Slovenia: 9
- Latvia: 9
- Estonia: 7
- Cyprus: 6
- Luxembourg: 6
- Malta: 6
The number of MEPs elected from each EU country is agreed before each election and is based on the principle of degressive proportionality, which means each MEP from a larger country represents more people than an MEP from a smaller country. The minimum number of MEPs from any country is six and the maximum number is 96.
Elections are contested by national political parties but once MEPs are elected, most opt to become part of transnational political groups. Most national parties are affiliated to a European-wide political party.
MEPs sit in political groups based on shared ideals. Each group has a minimum of 23 MEPs from at least a quarter of EU countries. There are seven groups in the current Parliament.
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The election results will be reported live on election results website.
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The elected MEPs work to form political groups. At its first plenary session where all MEPs meet, the new Parliament elects a President. In a subsequent session, Parliament will elect the new President of the European Commission and later will examine and approve the entire College of Commissioners.
The European Commission is the EU’s executive branch, responsible for proposing and implementing EU law and the day-to-day running of the EU. The European Parliament, representing the interests of EU citizens, and the Council, representing the interests of the countries, shape Commission proposals and, if they agree on them, adopt them.
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