The EU Parliament: Who’s In, Who’s Out, and What It Means

Summary

The European Parliament elections in June saw the election of 720 MEPs, leading to a month of political maneuvering as parties formed alliances. The Centre-Right EPP won most seats, but the real intrigue was the reshuffling of groups, with new alliances like 'Patriots for Europe' emerging and others like the ID group collapsing. The non-aligned parties, including the German AfD, formed 'The Sovereignists', the smallest group. Despite a rightward shift, unity among the far-right remains elusive due to differing stances on issues like Russia and Ukraine.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ In June, Europeans voted for 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who will influence EU decisions for the next five years.
• 🤝 Voters cast their ballots for national parties, which then form EU political groups by collaborating with other national parties from across Europe.
• 🏆 The Centre-Right EPP won the election with 190 seats, followed by the Centre-Left S&D with 136 seats, and liberal Renew Europe with 80 seats.
• 🔄 Post-election, there was significant reshuffling as political groups were formed, with parties moving between groups or remaining unaligned.
• 📉 Renew Europe dropped from the 3rd to the 5th largest group, and new groups were created while one disappeared entirely.
• 🆕 The ECR, aiming to be the third largest group, expanded to 85 seats by attracting parties from the unaligned stack.
• 🔄 A new group, 'Patriots for Europe', was formed by Fidesz, ANO, and Austria’s Freedom Party, and quickly grew to become the third largest group with 84 seats.
• 📉 The ID group dissolved as key parties moved to the 'Patriots for Europe', leaving it with no seats.
• 🔎 The non-aligned group, including significant parties like Germany's AfD, played a crucial role in shaping the EU political landscape.
• 🏛️ The final composition of the European Parliament reflects a rightward shift, with right-wing groups holding a significant number of seats.

Q & A

What is the significance of the European Parliament elections?

The European Parliament elections are one of the world's largest democratic events, where hundreds of millions of Europeans vote to elect 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who will make important decisions for Europe over the next five years.

How do voters participate in the election of the European Parliament?

Voters participate by voting for their national parties, which then collaborate with other national parties from different countries to form EU political groups, essentially coalitions of like-minded parties across all European countries.

What happened after the European Parliament elections in June?

After the elections, there was significant behind-the-scenes activity, including haggling and horse trading, as political groups were formed in the European Parliament.

Which political group won the most seats in the European Parliament elections?

The Centre-Right EPP won the most seats with 190, including parties like the German CDU, Spain’s PP, and Italy’s Forza Italia.

What is the role of unaligned members of parliament?

Unaligned members of parliament are those not affiliated with any political group. Their presence can significantly influence the EU political landscape, as seen with the German AfD, Italy’s Five Star Movement, or Hungary’s Fidesz.

How did the ECR group change after the elections?

The ECR group, initially aiming to become the third largest party, managed to pick up multiple parties from the unaligned stack, increasing their seat count to 85.

What is the 'Patriots for Europe' group?

The 'Patriots for Europe' is a new political group created by parties including Austria’s Freedom Party, Fidesz from Hungary, and ANO from Czechia, which believes in a Europe of strong and independent nations.

Why did the ID group cease to exist?

The ID group ceased to exist as several of its member parties, including France’s National Rally, switched to the newly formed 'Patriots for Europe' group, leaving the ID group with no seats.

What is the current status of the 'Sovereignists' group in the European Parliament?

The 'Sovereignists' is a far-right and ultra-nationalist group that is pro-Russian and very eurosceptic. They have 25 seats and are the smallest political group in the European Parliament.

How has the distribution of seats in the European Parliament changed since the elections?

The distribution has seen significant shifts with the formation of new groups like 'Patriots for Europe' and the decline of others like the ID group. The ECR, Renew Europe, and the Greens have also experienced changes in their seat counts.

What is the general political alignment in the European Parliament based on the current seat distribution?

The current seat distribution shows a larger number of seats on the right side of the EU parliament than on the left, indicating a stronger right-wing presence in the political landscape.