Library Briefing Library of the European Parliament 27/06/2013

'Europeanisation' of the 2014 EP elections

The European Parliament (EP) is the institution elections. First appearing on the political most often cited by EU citizens as guarantor of agenda in the late 1990s, the idea for the the representation of citizens' interests at EU political groups in the EP to nominate a level. However, elections to the EP are said to be candidate for the Presidency of the EC was 'second-order national elections', both regarding taken up by the Future of Europe Group, electoral procedure and electoral campaign consisting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of topics. In order to redress this, many call for their several MS. In its September 2012 Final Report, 'Europeanisation'. it called for a 'truly European political space' to be achieved in the short term inter alia by the Towards more European elections nomination of candidates for EC President by With a view to increasing the democratic the European political parties (and, in the legitimacy of decisions taken at EU level and in longer term, by direct election). The EC also the light of falling voter turnout, political embraced this approach in its Communication actors are seeking to ensure more lively and Recommendation on the 2014 European elections to the EP. Particular emphasis is elections, suggesting that national parties being placed on measures to make the ensure that their electoral campaign materials elections more European rather than a and broadcasts inform citizens about the collection of national elections. To this end, candidate they support for the EC Presidency efforts have been made to increase and his/her programme. 'harmonisation' of electoral rules for the EP Supporters of this idea argue that it would elections, beyond that enshrined in the 1979 personalise the elections, convert them into a Act (as amended in 2002), Directive 93/109/EC more trans-national event, and enable political and Directive 2013/1/EU. However, the parties to differentiate their programmes from diverging constitutional and electoral those of competitors. A Eurobarometer poll traditions of the Member States (MS) have so suggests that in this case the majority of EU far prevented any further agreement. citizens would be more inclined to vote. One of the key measures in bringing about the Conversely, some commentators point to the 'Europeanisation' of the EP elections and importance of retaining the separation of achieving higher participation is the powers between legislature and executive at nomination of candidates for President of the EU level as is the case in the USA. They warn European Commission (EC). Citizens' disaf- against tight political ties between the EP and fection would be tackled by increasing Commission that could weaken Parliament's accountability of the European executive to scrutiny of the EC, and could undermine the the electorate. In this way, a clear political link Commission's role as guardian of the Treaties between the elections to the EP and the by compromising its independence. appointment of the EC President would be created, responding to criticism that currently The European Parliament the EC does not need to be sustained by a In its resolution of 22 November 2012 the EP parliamentary majority. called on the European political parties to nominate candidates for the Presidency of the Nomination of candidates for EC, who should present their political Commission President programmes in all MS. Parliament's The Lisbon Treaty provides that the EP elects Constitutional Affairs Committee has adopted the EC President on the basis of a proposal an initiative report (rapporteur Andrew Duff, from the European Council taking into account ALDE, UK) on improving practical arrange- the elections to the EP (Article 17(7) TEU). This ments for the 2014 EP elections. will apply for the first time for the 2014

Author: Eva-Maria Poptcheva 130570REV1 Contact: [email protected] Disclaimer and Copyright: This briefing is a summary of published information and does not necessarily represent the views of the author or the European Parliament. The document is exclusively addressed to the Members and staff of the European Parliament for their parliamentary work. Links to information sources within this document may be inaccessible from locations outside the European Parliament network. © European Union, 2013. All rights reserved. http://www.library.ep.ec – http://libraryeuroparl.wordpress.com