Background Brief No. 12 EUC Background Brief No. May 2014

INFOSPECTIVE ON THE

EUROPEAN ELECTIONS

AND THE EUROPEAN

PARLIAMENT

Dexter Lee & Devi Shree Malarvanan

EU Centre in Singapore

Contents

Introduction 1

History of Treaty Changes

2

Strengthening of Parliament’s Powers 3

European Elections (1979-2009) 4

State of the Political Groups 11

The 2014 European Elections 12

The European Parliament and European Elections 1

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The European Parliament then and now. Photo Sources: German Federal Archive (left) (left) Archive Federal German Sources: then and Photo now. Parliament The European

europarl.europa.eu website official in 2 page and Parliament’s The 3 information from the European sourced is to

and EC number Accession Elections 1979 Main Issues:

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Seats Disenchantment with CAP due to the perception that it imposes a burden on the 410 Community budget

Working Hours Proposals to reduce working hours to 35hours per week within a European Electorate Framework 191.7 million

Gender Issues Principle of equal pay in 1976 Council Directive that called for equal treatment of men and women not fully applied. Many Turnout member states addressed the question of 61.99% gender equality. Expectations of the European Parliament to play a dynamic role in developing directives to fight gender inequalities were high, especially now that it is being elected by universal suffrage. Post-Election

Environment Issues Media coverage and public opinion A series of environmental issues such as following the elections suggest no reduction of nuclear energy usage were on significant rise in the visibility of the the table. There were calls to look for parliament despite the direct election. solutions to these issues on a supranational level. The European Parliament became more assertive; especially in relation to the Results Council • In December 1979, the European RGN IDN Parliament (EP) used its power under 11 9 Article 203 of the Treaty of Rome to NC veto proposals 22 LIB • In December 1982: the EP blocked the SOC Supplementary Budget 40 113 Party Groups LEFT Confederation of Socialist Parties (SOC) 44 European People’s Party (EPP) European Democrats (ED) ED EPP Communists/Far-Left (LEFT) 107 Liberals and Liberal Democats (LIB) 64 National Conservatives (NC) Heterogeneous/Regionalists (RGN) Sources: European Parliament, European Council and Independents (IDN) 4 Europe-politique.eu

Elections 1984 Context

Recession In the years preceding the elections Issues (1981-1983) member states such as the UK and Ireland were hit by a recession. Renationalisation of Entry of the Greens The 1984 elections mark the first time campaigns that the Greens enter the European Transnational issues Parliament scene. They have been represented in the European Parliament take a backseat ever since.

The EC’s first expansion Greece became the 10th member state Electorate of the Community in 1981. 200.5 million Results

G&R FAR IDN 20 16 9 NC 29 SOC Seats LIB 130 Turnout 31 434 58.98% LEFT 41 ED EPP 50 110

Confederation of Socialist Parties (SOC) Liberals and Liberal Democats (LIB) European People’s Party (EPP) National Conservatives (NC) European Democrats (ED) Greens and Regionalists (G&R) Communists/Far-Left (LEFT) Far-Right Parties (FAR) Independents (IDN)

Sources: European Parliament, European Council and Europe-politique.eu 5 Main Issues

Despite the significance of the Single European Act that provided the foundation for the creation of the Single Context Market with four freedoms, pan- European issues were not particularly discussed either. In 1987, two years before

the elections, the A survey showed that : Single European • 72% of people felt unemployment Act was adopted and as was one of the important issues • 39% considered environmental consequent of this act, protection to be an important issue 1992 was set as the too deadline for the creation • Only 8% chose the realization of the of a single market. Single European Market as an important point to be discussed during the elections 1989 Sources: European Parliament and Voters’ Study of the European Elections Study 1989 1994 Context Issues The Treaty of Maastricht was • Greater attention devoted to ratified and came into force European issues in these elections. in November 1993 thereby Greatest amount of debate in creating the European Union Denmark, France, and Great Britain. (EU).

• The ratification of the Maastricht The European Economic Treaty was an important point of Area came into force in campaign in all states January 1994.

• Growing tendency by the political The reunification of Germany parties to use common manifestos in 1990 and the fall of Communism in Eastern

Europe saw a wave of new • Unemployment and environmental applications by European issues were once again discussed states to join the EU. during these elections

Sources: European Parliament and European Commission 6 Party Groups

Confederation of Socialist Parties FAR (SOC) RGN IDN NAT 17 European People’s Party (EPP) 13 12 20 Liberals and Liberal Democrats (LIB) Communists/Far-Left (LEFT) GRE European Democrats (ED) The Greens (GRE) 30 National Conservatives (NAT) SOC Far-Right (FAR) ED 180 Regionalists (RGN) 34 Independents (IDN) LEFT 42

LIB Electorate Turnout 49 EPP 244.9m 58.5% 121 Total Seats: 518 Sources: European Parliament and Europe-politique.eu Results 1989

Electorate Results 1994 269.2 million SCP IDN ERA 19 27 19 Turnout GRE 56.8% 20 EDA 30 PES Party Groups FE 198 Party of European Socialists (PES) 27 European People’s Party (EPP) LEFT Liberals and Lib Dems (ELDR) Communists/Far-Left (LEFT) 28 Forza Europa Conservatives (FE) LIB European Democats (EDA) 43 The Greens (GRE) EPP Radical Liberals (ERA) 157 Eurosceptics (SCE) Independents (IDN) Total Seats 567

Sources: European Parliament and Europe-politique.eu 7 Context

• The Amsterdam Treaty of 1997, which entered into force in May 1999, opened more legislation to co-decision and confirmed the EP’s role in approving the Elect European Commission President.

• Creation of the Euro: Public opinion on the single currency was favourable

• Emergence of the Green Parties as a “fourth” force, and increasing salience of 1999 environmental issues.

Issues Prevalence of national issues over European issues when EP elections held in conjunction with Electorate regional or local elections/referendums, particularly in Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain and Ireland 300,000,000

Major national level issue for voters include unemployment, the transfer of jobs abroad and fighting poverty and social exclusion.

Major EU-level issues include: • Desired accountability of European Central Turnout Seats Bank vis-a-vis the European Parliament, • Confidence in European Commission – a May 1999 poll indicated that 53 percent of 49.51% 626 Europeans had little or no confidence in the European Commission which came in the wake of a corruption scandal in the Commission. • Debate on deepening or widening of the EU were prominent in both UK and France

Party Groups

European People’s European Greens Party (EPP) (GRE) Party of European National Socialists (PES) Conservatives (NC) European Liberals European United Results (ELDR) Left (Left) Eurosceptics (AEN) Independents and Others (ID) EPP PES

ELDR AEN GRE Left NC 233 50 ID 180 48 42 16 31 29

8 Sources: European Parliament, Eurobarometer 51 and Europe-politique.eu Issues The Constitutional Treaty and Turkey’s prospective EU membership was widely discussed in virtually all member states. Issues related to foreign policy and security, such as ions military non-alignment and the US occupation in Iraq were more prominent in the older member states in Western Europe, while national interest issues were more prominent in the new EU member states from Central and Eastern Europe. 2004 The European party groups (EPP, PES and ELDR) reflected their support for the Constitutional Treaty and an expanded Europe in their manifestos, but lack of proper debate on European integration by these parties. Electorate Context Negotiations on the Constitutional Treaty, 342,000,000 which was first conceived in December 2001 by the European Council, were concluded in June 2004 by the Irish Presidency of the European Union.

The ascension of eight new member states from Central and Eastern Europe and two from Southern Europe on 1st May 2014 brought the number of EU member states to 25. The Seats Turnout number of MEPs increased from 626 to 732 as agreed in the EU’s Constitution Treaty, with 45.6% 151 seats contested by parties in these new 732 member states.

The Treaty of Nice capped the number of seats in the European Parliament at 732. Party Groups European People’s Party (EPP) Party of European Socialists (PES) European Liberals (ELDR) European Greens (Greens) Results National Conservatives (NC) European United Left (UL) Eurosceptics (AEN) EPP Independents (ID) PES ELDR UL GRE 200 268 ID AEN 88 NC 42 27 29 37 41 Sources: European Parliament, EPIN Working Paper 11 (May 2004) and Europe-politique.eu 9 ELECTIONS 2009 Issues Context

Which issues mattered to voters The financial and debt crises in the EU, and in which member unfolded in 2009 when a number states were they prominently of EU member states asked for discussed? bailouts from the European Union. Both Ireland and Spain European Integration & Identity were in recession at the time of the elections.

• The 2007 Treaty of Lisbon: Electorate Institutionalised the European Council meetings and created The Economy 385.6m the position of a permanent President of the European Council. • Further empowered the European Parliament • Created the position of a High The Environment Seats Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy 732 supported by the European Social Policy and Integration External Action Service. • Allowed for the possibility of a member state withdrawing Turnout from the EU. Turkey’s EU Aspirations 43% Also, new rules proposed by the European Commission to allow pan-European political groupings Results to compete at the national level were made law in 2007. S&D 184 Party Groups EPP European People’s Party (EPP) 265 Socialists and Democrats (S&D) Alliance of Liberals and ALDE Democrats of Europe (ALDE) 84 European Greens (EGP) European Conservatives EGP and Reformists (ECR) 55 European United Left (LEFT) Europe for Freedom and Democracy (EFD) ECR NI Other Parties (NI) 54 19 EFD 32 LEFT Sources: European Parliament, Europa.eu, Europe-politique.eu and 10 35 EUDO-EUI 2009 Elections to the European Parliament Country Report European People’s Party Party of European Socialists EPP The European People’s Party (EPP) is a centre-right The Party of European Socialists (PES) is the PES European political group that was founded on 8 main social democratic political group in July 1976 in Luxembourg by French MP Jean the European Union. PES first started out as Seitlinger, the then Belgian Prime Minister Leo a loose group of centre-left parties in the Tindemans (was also elected as the party’s first 1960s, before being inaugurated as the president) and the later Belgian Prime Minister Confederation of the Socialist Parties of the and EPP President Wilfried Martens. The party has European Community (SOC) in 1973 after contested all European elections since 1979, and it the accession of Denmark, the UK and was enlarged in 2002 after the European Ireland into the EC. The party adopted its Democrat Union (EDU) successfully negotiated a current name in 1992 after the formation of merger with the party. the European Union, and it sits as the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and The EPP has consistently stood for freedom, Democrats group (S&D) in the European democracy, respect for traditions and associations, Parliament. the principle of subsidiary and a Social Market Economy. The party has is also known for As a social democratic alliance, the PES has advocating deeper European integration in areas stood firm on ideals such as the protection such as the completion of the single market, the of workers' and human rights, equal pay, integration of immigrants, the continued equality and diversity. The party is a enlargement of the EU and a direct election for proponent of European integration, and in the European Commission President. recent times, has advocated for a "Social Europe" that calls for governments to work towards fair redistribution of wealth and the setting of binding targets on employment, education and social STATE OF cohesion. THE POLITICAL GROUPS European Green Party Alliance of Liberals & Democrats for Europe The European Green Party started out as a Coordination of European Green and Radical ALDE ALDE The ALDE is a European political group Parties (CEGRP) prior to the 1979 election, comprising 57 national-level liberal parties from though no Green MP entered the European across Europe. European Liberal parties first Parliament in that year. The Greens then set formed a political confederation in 1976, before up a European Green Coordination (EGC) in embarking on a name change of the group to 1984, winning 11 seats in that election. It was the European Liberal Democrat and Reform only in 1989 were the Greens able to form Party (ELDR) in 1994. The ELDR then partnered their parliamentary group in the European with the European People's Party-European Parliament, and in 1999 they replaced the Democrats Group in the 1999-2004 European European Left as the fourth largest party Parliament to form a grand coalition, and in group in the European Parliament. 2004, the party registered itself as a political entity and absorbed MEPs from the European The Greens champion the basic tenets of Democratic Party. The party had adopted its Green politics such as environmental current name in 2012 to match the pan- responsibility, individual freedom, inclusive European alliance and parliamentary group of democracy, diversity, social justice, gender the same name. equality, sustainable development and non- violence. The party initially advocated the Since its formation, the ALDE has often formation of a neutral and decentralised espoused the principles of democracy, the rule Europe, though from 1999 onwards it has of law, human rights, individualism and proposed pragmatic alternatives to the EU's tolerance, and has strongly supported the policies and institutions. enlargement of the European Union as well as free trade. Sources: EPP.eu, Party of European Socialists 2014 Manifesto, ALDE.eu and Europeangreens.eu 11 20Front JEAN-CLAUDE Context The 2014 European Elections will be held between 22 and 25 May 2014 in the 28 member states of the European Union. Juncker European People’s Party (EPP) Voters will indirectly elect the European Commission – According to the Lisbon Trea t y, the European Parliament is empowered to elect the President of the European Commission on the basis of a proposal of the European Council taking into account the election results. The European political groups have each nominated a candidate for the Commission presidency.

The partisan electoral contest for Commission President has led for the first time to television debates where candidates for the Commission Presidency would face each other in April and May. Candidates also hit the road to campaign for votes.

There is a rise of “hard” Eurosceptic and far- right parties in Europe in the midst of economic crisis as Europeans give greater backing to far-right parties – an increase in hard Eurosceptic MEPs in EP could pose problems Aged 60, Juncker was one of the longest serving for other EU institutions such as the Council and Prime Ministers of Luxembourg (1995-2013) and has experience chairing the Eurogroup of finance Commission. ministers during the recent financial and debt crisis. Juncker is a strong supporter of European Also, will turnout drop further or will the new integration and the Union’s social justice agenda. changes to EP’s powers encourage more voters Other Candidates to turn out?

Electorate 400,000,000 Seats 751 Guy Verhofstadt Alexis Tsipras Alliance of Liberals Party of the and Democrats of European Left Sources: elections2014.eu, European Parliament, 12 European Council, epp.eu, pes.eu, euobserver.com Europe (ALDE)

Issues The topic of European integration is expected to be one of the biggest issues in these elections and all European parties have addressed their plans for Europe in their manifestos. However, 60% of Europeans do not trust the EU and anti-EU feelings are on the rise, making the task of getting voters to the polls even tougher. 14runners MARTIN Eurosceptic and far-right parties are hoping to capitalise on the surge of nationalism to gain more seats in the European Parliament. The French National Front (FN), the United Kingdom Schulz Independence Party (UKIP) and the Dutch PVV are Party of European Socialists calling for national control over immigration, while Germany’s Alternative für Deutchland (AfD) and (PES) Italy’s Five Star Movement (MF5) are calling for their countries to exit the Eurozone.

Economy and social policy remains a prominent issues: outgoing MEPs call for a new narrative that binds Europeans together in a globalised world with the PES campaigning on building a social union with effective integration policies There is a desire among Europe’s youth for education schemes on rights and identity as EU citizens.

Lastly, the recent crisis in Ukraine has overshadowed other national concerns in Poland, and is expected to feature strongly in the election campaigns in the EU’s Baltic states as well as in Bulgaria. Ones to watch

A former aspiring football player, German Martin “No” to electoral threshold in Germany Schulz has worked through the ranks of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and was first elected to Germany’s Constitutional Court annulled the the European Parliament in 1994. He served as its Bundestag’s decision on a 3% electoral threshold, President from 2012 to 2013, and is an ardent opening the door for the 15 month old anti-Euro champion of human rights, reform of financial Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) to gain its first markets, deeper European integration and seats in these upcoming elections. promotion of economic growth in the EU away from austerity. First-place finishes for FN and UKIP Opinion polls suggest that Marine Le Pen’s Front The Alliance of European National (FN) and Nigel Farage’s UKIP will come Conservatives & out tops in France and the UK respectively. If these Reformists (ECR), Le Pen polls are accurate, this will be the first time that and Wilders’ new mainstream parties in both these EU member European Alliance for states will fail to clinch first place. Freedom (EAF) and the Europe of Freedom and Crisis in Ukraine Ska Keller & José Bové Democracy Group (EFD) The ongoing Ukraine crisis has prompted fresh all declined to present a (Joint Candidates) debate on Poland’s security issues and is set to candidate for the ensure that the centre-right Civic Platform will European Green Party Commission Presidency. come out tops in these elections. 13

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