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Elections 2009

2. Elections 2009

The European Parliament is the only multinational parliamentary assembly in the world elected by universal suffrage. The next elections to the EP will be held from 4-7 June 2009 across the 27 member states of the European Union.

The European Election 2009 will be the biggest transnational election in history and the 30th anniversary of the first direct elections to the European Parliament. The two newest member states, Romania and Bulgaria, join the other EU states in the European Election for the first time. Around 375 million EU voters will choose 736 MEPs out of roughly 9,000 candidates.

Each EU member state decides how the European election is organised within that country – hence the slight variation on the exact voting day. In line with national traditions, the voting takes place between 4-7 June.

All member states, however, must follow certain electoral procedures and democratic rules: the electoral system must be some form of proportional representation, minimum voting age must be 18, equality of the sexes must be respected and a secret ballot must be the electoral method.

However, in 2008, Austria lowered the voting age in national elections to 16, which will also give Austrian 16-year-olds the voting right in EP elections 2009.

Seats are divided proportionately to the population of each member state, the maximum being 99 seats (Germany) and the minimum five (Malta). The present number of MEPs (785) exceeds the maximum agreed under the current (Nice) treaty. In the 2009 elections, the Nice Treaty will therefore limit the number of MEPs to 736. The Lisbon Treaty would have set the number of EP seats to 751, but its ratification stalled after the Irish referendum in June 2008.

The proportion of female MEPs is expected to further rise in the 2009 elections. In 2004, their proportion was 30.2%, while in 1979 it was just 16.5%.

Election rights of EU citizens in general

Article 19 (8b) of the EC Treaty gives all citizens of an EU member state the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament and local elections in the member state in which they reside — whether they have its nationality or not — in the same conditions as apply to nationals of the country of residence. This is to ensure equality and non-discrimination between union citizens, in the spirit of the freedom of movement and residence. It also helps EU citizens to integrate in their host country.

The Council Directive 93/109/EC of 1993 lays down detailed arrangements under which EU citizens may choose whether to participate in elections to Parliament (by voting or by standing as a candidate) in their state of origin or their state of residence within the EU. Derogations may be invoked by member states in which the proportion of resident EU foreigners is substantially above the average (EU foreigners with a share of around 20%). In this case a longer period of residence may be required than for nationals.