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European Union Basics FAQ #3: The European Parliment
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EU Basics FAQ: The European Parliament
[EU Flag]
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Personal note: you will notice that in all EU institutions, there is an
asymmetry between the number of inhabitants of member states and the number
of representatives they have in the various institutions (e.g. one
Commissioner for 300,000 Luxemburgers compared to two for 80 million
Germans). This is a compromise between the supranational principle of
one-inhabitant-one-vote and the intergovernmental principle of
one-government-one-vote, and thus an illustration of the general ambiguity
between supranational and intergovernmental principles that so characterizes
the European Union.
How is the European Parliament composed?
DIRECT UNIVERSAL ELECTIONS
The European Parliament represents the peoples of the member states. It is
elected once every five years, through direct universe suffrage in every
member state.
The last general EP election was held on 9 and 12 June 1994. The next will
be in June 1999, although Austrians, Finns and Swedes have to elect MEPs
earlier because their countries had not joined the EU in 1994 yet. Up to
these elections, MEPs for these countries are appointed by national
parliaments. In Sweden these elections already took place. Hiski Haapoja[1]
mentions that for Finland, these elections will take place in October 1996
together with municipal county elections.
GENERAL COMPOSITION
There are currently 626 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs):
99 elected in Germany;
87 each in France, Italy, the UK;
64 in Spain;
31 in the Netherlands;
25 each in Belgium, Greece, Portugal;
22 in Sweden;
21 in Austria;
16 each in Denmark and Finland;
15 in the Republic of Ireland;
6 in Luxembourg.
MEPs don't usually vote by country of origin. Instead, they organize in
political groups according to ideology and/or party affiliation. The minimum
number of MEPs to form a political group is 29 if the members come from one
member state, 23 if they come from two, 18 if they come from three and 14 if
they come from four or more member states. No MEP can be a member of more
than one political group, but no MEP is under an obligation to be part of a
political group either (even though it does bring advantages in speaking
time and infrastructure).
Some MEPs call themselves associate (rather than +full;) members of a
political group; this reflects the fact that they are not bound by the
common manifesto/platform of the pan-European political party behind the
group, usually because their national party is not a member of this
pan-European political party. This difference is irrelevant as far as
internal Parliamentary procedures are concerned.
See the list of member states[2] in the first part of this FAQ for an
overview of ISO country abbreviations used below. Links have been added to
the official or unofficial home pages of some parties; please drop me a
line[3] if you know any I did not include.
[LOGO PES]
PES/GROUP OF THE PARTY OF EUROPEAN SOCIALISTS
Leader: Ms Pauline Green (Labour, UK)
217 members:
62 Labour (UK)[4]
40 Socialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (DE)[5]
22 Partido Socialista Obrero Espaqol[6] (ES)
16 Partido democratico della Sinistra (IT) [7]
15 Europe Solidaire (Parti Socialiste) (FR)
10 Partido Socialista (PT)[8]
10 Panellinio Socialistiko Kinima (GR)
8 Partij van de Arbeid (NL) [9]
8 Sozialdemokratische Partei Vsterreichs[10] (AT)
7 Socialdemokratiska arbetarepartiet (SE)[11]
4 Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (FI)[12]
3 Parti Socialiste (BE)
3 Socialdemokratiet (DK)
3 Socialistische Partij (BE)
2 LSAP - d'Sozialisten (LU)
2 Partito socialista italiano-Alleanza democratica (IT)
1 Labour Party (IE)
1 Social Democratic and Labour Party (UK)
EPP/EUROPEAN PEOPLE'S PARTY (CHRISTIAN-DEMOCRATS)
Leader: Mr Wilfried Martens (Christelijke Volkspartij, BE)
172 members:
39 Christlich-Demokratische Union[13] (DE)
28 Partido Popular (ES)
18 Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)
13 Union pour la Dimocratie Frangaise/Rassemblement pour
la Ripublique* (FR)
10 Christendemocratisch Appel (NL) [14]
9 Nea Demokratia (GR)
8 Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern (DE)
8 Partito popolare italiano (IT)
6 Vsterreichische Volkspartei (AT)
5 Moderata samlingspartiet (SE)[15]
4 Christelijke Volkspartij (BE) [16]
4 Fine Gael (IE)
4 Kansallinen Kokoomus (FI)
3 Konservative Folkeparti (DK)
3 Patto Segni (IT)
2 Chrkslich-Sozial Vollekspartei (LU)
2 Coalicisn Nacionalista (ES)
2 Parti Social-Chritien (BE)
1 Christlich Soziale Partei (BE)
1 Partido Social Democrata* (PT)
1 S|dtiroler Volkspartei (IT)
1 Ulster Unionist Party (UK)
UE/UNION FOR EUROPE GROUP
Leader: Mr. Jean-Claude Pasty (Rassemblement pour la Ripublique, FR)
55 members:
29 Forza Italia (IT)[17]
14 Union pour la Dimocratie Frangaise/Rassemblement pour
la Ripublique* (FR)
7 Fianna Fail[18] (IE)
3 Centro Democratico Social/Partido Popular (PT)
2 Politiki Anixi (GR)
ELDR/GROUP OF THE EUROPEAN LIBERAL, DEMOCRATIC AND REFORMIST PARTY
Leader: Mr Gijs de Vries (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie, NL)
52 members:
8 Partido Social Democrata* (PT)
5 Lega Nord (IT)
6 Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (NL) [19]
4 Democraten '66 (NL) [20]
4 Suomen Keskusta (FI)
4 Venstre[21] (DK)
3 Parti Riformateur Libiral/Front Dimocratique des
Francophones (BE)
3 Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten (BE) [22]
2 Centerpartiet (SE)
2 Convergencia y Unio* (ES)
2 Liberal Democrats (UK) [23]
2 Svenska Folkpartiet (FI)
1 Demokratesch Partei (LU)
1 Folkpartiet liberalerna (SE)[24]
1 Independents (IE)
1 Liberales Forum (AT)
1 Partito reppublicano italiano (IT)
1 Radikale Venstre (DK)
1 Union pour la Dimocratie Frangaise/Rassemblement pour
la Ripublique* (FR)
GUE/CONFEDERAL GROUP OF THE UNITED LEFT - NORTHERN GREEN LEFT
Leader: Mr Alfonso Puerta Gutierrez (Izquierda Unida - Iniciativa per
Catalunya, ES)
33 members:
9 Izquierda Unida (ES)
7 Parti Communiste (FR)
5 Rifondazione comunista (IT)
3 Vdnsterpartiet (SE)[25]
3 Coligagao Democratica Unitaria (PT)
2 Kommounistiko Komma Elladas (GR)
2 Synaspismos tis Aristeras kai tis Proodou (GR)
1 Socialistisk Folkeparti (DK) [26]
1 Vasemmistoliitto (FI)
GRN/GREEN GROUP IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT[27]
Leaders: Ms Claudia Roth (Die Gr|nen, DE) & Mr Alexander Langer
(Federazione dei Verdi, IT)
28 members:
12 B|ndnis 90/Die Gr|nen (DE) [28]
4 Miljvpartiet de grvna (SE)[29]
3 Federazione dei Verdi (IT)
2 Green Party[30] (IE)
1 Agalev (BE) [31]
1 Dii Gring GLEI-GAP (LU)
1 Ecolo (BE)
1 Groen Links (NL) [32]
1 Gr|ne - Die Gr|ne Alternative (AT)
1 La Rete-Movimento democratico (IT)
1 Vihred Liitto (FI)[33]
ERA/GROUP OF THE EUROPEAN RADICAL ALLIANCE
Leader: Ms Cathirine Lalumihre (Energie Radicale, FR)
19 members:
13 Energie Radicale (FR)
2 Panella-Riformatori[34] (IT)
2 Scottish National Party (UK)[35]
1 Convergencia y Unio* (ES)
1 Volksunie/Vlaamse Vrije Democraten (BE)
EN/EUROPE OF NATIONS GROUP
Leader: Mr Jimmy Goldsmith (Majoriti pour l'autre Europe, FR)
19 members:
13 Majoriti pour l'autre Europe (FR)
2 Folkebevfgelsen mod EF (DK)
2 Junibevfgelsen (DK)
2 Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij[36]/ Gereformeerd
Politiek Verbond[37]/ Reformatorisch-Politieke
Federatie[38] (NL)
NI/NON-ATTACHED MEMBERS
10 Alleanza nazionale (IT)
11 Front National (FR)
5 Die Freiheitlichen (AT)
2 Vlaams Blok (BE)
1 Democratic Unionist Party (UK)
1 Front National (BE)
1 Partito socialista democratico italiano (IT)
The long list above is represented more concisely in the following table:
PES EPP UE ELDR GUE GRN ERA EN NI TOT
AT 8 6 - 1 - 1 - - 5 21
BE 6 7 - 6 - 2 1 - 3 25
DE 40 47 - - - 12 - - - 99
DK 3 3 - 5 1 - - 4 - 16
ES 22 30 - 2 9 - 1 - - 64
FI 4 4 - 6 1 1 - - - 16
FR 15 13 14 1 7 - 13 13 11 87
GR 10 9 2 - 4 - - - - 25
IE 1 4 7 1 - 2 - - - 15
IT 18 12 29 6 5 4 2 - 11 87
LU 2 2 - 1 - 1 - - - 6
NL 8 10 - 10 - 1 - 2 - 31
PT 10 1 3 8 3 - - - - 25
SE 7 5 - 3 3 4 - - - 22
UK 63 19 - 2 - - 2 - 1 87
TOT 217 172 55 52 33 28 19 19 31 626
What are the powers of the European Parliament?
The powers of the European Parliament are very complicated and vary
considerably with the policy area under consideration. In many respects it
is significantly lacking in formal powers compared with the position of
national parliaments in functioning democracies, though there has been a
gradual increase in both its officially recognized and its unofficial powers
over the years of its existence.
In some policy areas and procedures, the European Parliament has the right
to amend or reject Commission proposals before the Council takes the final
decision. There are two weaknesses to this power, which make the EP much
less powerful than its national counterparts:
The Commission can freely reject EP amendments, without any sanction;
unlike national governments which face a choice between accepting the
will of parliament or resigning, when major questions are considered a
matter of confidence. Therefore, the EP's +Right to Amendment; is in fact
not much more than a +Right to Advise;. Also, the Commission's opinion of
EP amendments is crucial to their adoption since the final decision in
the Council can only depart from the Commission's final proposal by
unanimous vote.
Under the Cooperation and Assent Procedures, EP amendments and rejections
are valid only if (a) 60% of votes are in favour and (b) if the MEPs
voting in favour constitute at least half of all MEPs.
Especially the latter requirement makes it quite difficult to influence the
political process, and personally I think that democratically perverse
situations arise when an amendment is declared rejected even if 90% of votes
are in favour of it, just because only 50% of MEPs have turned up for the
vote. It would be better, in my view, to require a high quorum of MEPs
turning up before a vote can take place; MEP votes are the only example I
know where a quorum is applied to the result of the vote instead of to the
vote itself. Please note that this paragraph has aroused considerable
discussion whether this rule is undemocratic or not. Most people seem to
disagree with me.
In his excellent work on the European Parliament, Martin Westlake[39] puts
forward a table illustrating the power (or lack of thereof) of the European
Parliament on the European Union decision making process. It is a grand
total of all the 322 proposals dealt with under the co-operation procedure
up to 30 December 1993. As such this table does not include the many areas
in which the EP has other powers, or no power at all. I will expand on this
section in a later issue of this list.
First reading Second reading
European Parliament 4572 amendments tabled 1074 amendments tabled
European Commission 2499 (54,65%) taken up 475 (44,22%) taken up
Council of Ministers 1966 (43%) accepted 253 (23,55%) accepted
[Source: Westlake 1994, p265]
These figures both illustrate the substantial influence that the EP does
indeed have on European decision making, yet they also illustrate that in
the end the democratic legitimacy of the European decision making process
may be considered unsatisfactory. After all, what national government can
afford to ignore around 50% of the amendments that its national parliament
approves of in majority? And what about the Council of Ministers which
refuses to take into account more than 75% of the amendments the
democratically elected assembly has put forward in the second reading of a
bill, even though the Commission has still approved of a small half of
these?
There is another area in which the EP's powers have risen considerably.
Since the Maastricht Treaty,[40] the European Parliament must approve both
of the President of the Commission and of the Commission in full. It can
also make the Commission resign with a 2/3 majority. It cannot sack
individual Commissioners.
The newly elected EP of 1994 has interpreted this decision as such that it
has the right to question all individual candidate Commissioners thoroughly
(modelled on the US Senate +hearings; for candidate government ministers)
before approving of the new Commission as a whole. The new Commission
president has accepted this interpretation in practice; hearings have taken
place from 16 to 20 January 1995, and the Commission president has had to
make some changes to and supplementary promises about the portfolios of his
fellow Commissioners as a result of the hearings, before his Commission was
approved with a 417 against 104 majority.
Who is the President of the European Parliament?
MEPs elect the President (or chair) of the European Parliament and his/her
bureau from their midst, with a mandate of two and a half years. Subsequent
EP presidents since the first direct elections were:
1979-1982 Ms Simone Veil (LDR[41], France)
1982-1984 Mr Piet Dankert (PES[42], Netherlands)
1984-1987 Mr Pierre Pflimlin (EPP[43], France)
1987-1989 Sir Henry Plumb (Conservative, UK) [Tory MEPs were in
the former European Democrats group during Lord
Plumb's presidency; in 1992 they followed their former
European Democrats group partners, and joined the
EPP[44] group.]
1989-1992 Mr Enrique Baron Crespo (PES[45], Spain)
1992-1994 Mr Egon Klepsch (EPP[46], Germany)
1994-1997 Mr Klaus Hdnsch (PES[47], Germany)
Where can I find the European Parliament on the net?
EMAIL CONNECTIVITY
Many of the civil servants working at the European Parliament have an email
address with a gateway to the Internet, in the +gw.europarl.org; zone. MEPs
and their assistants are less likely to be reachable. You could try to ask
the <postmaster@gw.europarl.org> for a specific person's email address.
DATABASES AND INFOSYSTEMS
The European Parliament is currently preparing its own WorldWideWeb presence
on the Internet. Up to now, there are only the following electronic
information services which are not available on the Internet:
News and general press information is available in the menu-based EPISTEL
system, available via X.25 and PSTN. Subscription is free for accredited
journalists; others pay ECU 100/month. Information: tel.+32.2.2842128,
fax +32.2.2305808.
EPOQUE is a documentary database produced by the European Parliament. Its
first objective is to make information easily accessible internally, but
it is also intended to provide information on the EP activities to the
outside world. Access is free, but requires previous registration; EPOQUE
is available through PSTN in Luxembourg and through X.25. Information:
fax +352.439317.
___________________________________
Edited by Roland Siebelink & Bart Schelfhout[48]
corrections and suggestions welcome.
[Go to Table of Contents][49]
*** References from this document ***
[1] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/about.html#contr
[2] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/general.html#memberstates
[3] mailto:eubasics@allmansland.com
[4] http://www.poptel.org.uk/labour-party/
[5] http://www.spd.de/
[6] http://www.civing.carleton.ca/SiSpain/politics/parliame/socialis.html
[7] http://www.pds.it/pds.htm
[8] http://www.partido-socialista.pt/ps/
[9] http://www.pvda.nl/
[10] ftp://ftp.spoe.or.at/
[11] http://w1.swip.net/val94/shome.html
[12] http://www.tky.hut.fi/~oodi/SDP/SDP-homepage.html
[13] http://www.cdu.de/
[14] http://www.dds.nl/overheid/pdc/678/351/35165.html
[15] http://w1.swip.net/val94/mhome.html
[16] http://www.cocacola.be/cvp/
[17] http://www.iunet.it:8988/~forza-it/
[18] http://www.iol.ie/fiannafail/
[19] http://www.dds.nl/overheid/pdc/678/354/35451.html
[20] http://www.xs4all.nl/~d66ned/d66menu.html
[21] http://www.venstre.dk/
[22] http://www.eunet.be/vld/
[23] http://www.libdems.org.uk/
[24] http://w1.swip.net/val94/fphome_e.html
[25] http://w1.swip.net/val94/vhome.html
[26] http://molly.sf.dk/
[27] http://www.dds.nl/~groen-l/groenl/english/europe.html
[28] http://www.hrz.uni-oldenburg.de:81/~oliver/bg/bgindex.html
[29] http://w1.swip.net/val94/mphome_e.html
[30] http://www.iol.ie/resource/green/index.htm
[31] http://box.eunet.be/./agalev/
[32] http://www.dds.nl/~groen-l/
[33] http://katto.kaapeli.fi/~vihreat/
[34] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/www.riformatori.stm.it
[35] http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~alba/snp/
[36] http://www.dds.nl/overheid/pdc/678/351/35153.html
[37] http://www.dds.nl/overheid/pdc/678/351/35152.html
[38] http://www.dds.nl/overheid/pdc/678/351/35176.html
[39] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/about.html#mwestlake
[40] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/general.html#maastricht
[41] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/parliament.html#ldr
[42] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/parliament.html#pes
[43] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/parliament.html#epp
[44] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/parliament.html#epp
[45] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/parliament.html#pes
[46] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/parliament.html#epp
[47] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/parliament.html#pes
[48] mailto:eubasics@allmansland.com
[49] http://eubasics.allmansland.com/index.html
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