When the EU electoral system was established, ahead of the first European Parliament elections in 1979, the bloc had nine member states instead of the current 27 and 410 MEPs, in comparison to the current 705.
“[It] is frustrating for many of us,” MEP Danuta Maria Hübner, who is experienced in EU electoral processes, told EURACTIV in a video interview. “Since 1979, we know how the world has changed. We are living in a different EU.”
“[The system] is based on national tradition,” the EU lawmaker said, highlighting that the current process has very little common European provision. Aside from rules on threshold and proportionately, a set of basic rules for eligibility, and the simultaneous announcement of results on the same day in the whole EU, national laws apply.
Hübner said she regrets that, despite the time that has passed, the rules have not been revamped.
“I am ashamed of this, of the fact that we cannot change in spite of the efforts,” she stated.
However, Hübner voiced hope that despite the current rules, recent crises – the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, inflation and the energy crisis – may make the Spring 2024 EU elections the most ‘European’ yet.
“Of course, so much depends on the people, who are elected, and what issues they want to discuss. But those things that happen to us also created more awareness of Europe,” Hübner stressed.
“[Certain challenges] can only be coped with at the European level. They need European solutions,” she said.
Source: euractiv.com
