30 years of EU elections

The first European Union election took place 30 years ago and 63 percent of the eligible voters showed up to have their voices heard. Since then, the European Parliament has been one of the EU’s major political institutions. While the Council of the European Union is made up of various ministers of the member states and the European Commission's members are appointed by the European Council, the European Parliament is the only directly elected body, giving citizens a chance to influence European politics.

30 years ago, the Parliament played a mostly advisory role. The Council was obliged to acknowledge the Parliament’s opinion in important matters, but was not forced to accept it. Even then, however, some parts of the budget required the approval of Parliament.

Since then, the Parliament’s authority has steadily increased, but the voter turnout at EU elections has plummeted. At the last election in 2004 it stood at just 45.6 percent. Many feel that the reason for this decline lies in the complicated structures of EU bureaucracy, which can be difficult to understand. Those who do not know what the European Parliament is and what it does are unlikely to be interested in voting for it.

The Parliament’s playing field

Today, the European Parliament has to officially approve the European Council’s nominations of members of the European Commission. Like the US Congress, the Parliament tends to accept the suggestions of commissioners.

The Commission also has to justify its activities to the Parliament and any of its members can be discharged at any time through a vote of no-confidence.

The codecision procedure, which has been in place since the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, puts the Parliament on equal footing with the Council in many law-making processes. Both chambers have the right to reject the European Commission’s proposals. This system applies to more than 75 percent of all EU laws. Exceptions to this rule include some key areas such as a common foreign and security policy, as well as the areas of justice and interior affairs.

The Parliament’s third sphere of authority is the budget. Every December the Parliament must approve an EU budget for the following year. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, too. All of the so-called compulsory spending -- the funds that the European Union needs to carry out its duties -- do not require the Parliament’s approval. Included in this compulsory spending, for example, are the agricultural budgets.

The Parliament also has the right of codetermination with regard to EU expansion. It must agree to all EU-entry-related decisions made by the Commission and the Council. It also has the power to block decisions related to the European market. The Treaty of Lisbon, which has not yet been ratified by all EU member states, aims to give the European Parliament even more power in relation to the Council and the Commission.

Important decisions

In December 1979 the Parliament displayed its power for the first time. Its president, Simone Veil, refused to sign the financial plan for 1980 and thus forced the Commission to amend it. The Parliament has periodically blocked budget decisions in the following years.

During the appointment of the European Commission in 2004, the Parliament made the first use of its veto rights. It rejected the conservative Italian Rocco Buttiglione, who had been nominated for the position of Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security.

The Parliament also brings forth its own legislative ideas and in this way contributes actively to the EU decision-making process. Numerous laws relating to consumer protection, climate protection, civil rights and labor have been created in this way.

Torsten Spies / ew

Editor: Trinity Hartman