2019 European Parliament election

2019 European Parliament election
source
Name	2019 European Parliament election
Country	European Union
Type	parliamentary
Previous election	2014 European Parliament election
Previous year	2014
Next election	2024 European Parliament election
Next year	2024
Seats for election	751 to 705 Members of the European Parliament
Election date	23–26 May 2019

2019 European Parliament election The 2019 election elected members to the legislature based in European Parliament for the 2019–2024 term. Voting took place across the European Union between 23 and 26 May 2019, with seat redistribution following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom under Brexit. Contests featured leading figures and organizations from across Europe including the European Commission, European Council, and pan‑European groups such as the European People's Party, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party.

Background

The poll followed institutional developments including the 2014–2019 composition of the European Parliament, the mandate of Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the European Commission, and the 2016 referendum in the United Kingdom leading to Brexit negotiations. Rising prominence of parties such as National Rally and Alternative for Germany reflected shifts seen during the 2015 European migrant crisis and debates over Schengen Area rules. The election occurred against the backdrop of transnational issues involving Ukraine crisis, the Juncker Commission policy priorities, and strategic questions addressed at summits of the European Council chaired by Donald Tusk then Charles Michel.

Electoral system and rules

Each member state applied national procedures under the framework set by the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Allocation of seats used degressive proportionality established by the Lisbon Treaty, with member states such as Germany, France, and Italy receiving larger delegations than smaller states like Malta, Luxembourg, and Cyprus. Voting systems varied: most states used forms of proportional representation practiced in Germany (electoral system), France (electoral system), and Spain (electoral system), while others retained national thresholds comparable to those in Poland (electoral system). Campaign finance and rules were influenced by decisions of the European Court of Justice and recommendations from the European Parliament Committee on Constitutional Affairs.

Campaigns and major parties

Campaigns combined national parties and pan‑European groupings. The European People's Party campaigned with leaders from Angela Merkel‑aligned parties such as Christian Democratic Union of Germany and Les Républicains. The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats sought traction with parties including Social Democratic Party of Germany and Partito Democratico. Liberals rallied around the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party and figures from Renew Europe, supported by parties like MoDem and Partito Democratico affiliates. Right‑wing and Eurosceptic forces included Identity and Democracy Party affiliates such as Rassemblement National and Lega Nord, alongside European Conservatives and Reformists members like Prawo i Sprawiedliwość and Conservative Party before Brexit complications. Green parties, under banners such as European Green Party, campaigned on issues linked to Green New Deal for Europe themes and climate activism associated with figures from Extinction Rebellion and supporters of Greta Thunberg. Campaign narratives referenced policies of the European Central Bank, debates on migration crisis, and disputes over the Copenhagen Criteria in enlargement discussions.

Results and turnout

Results produced a more fragmented chamber with gains for European Green Party affiliates and for several Eurosceptic formations, while the European People's Party and Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats saw reduced majorities compared with the 2014 term. Seat redistribution after the United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union led to a reduction from 751 to 705 seats, with some UK seats reallocated to countries such as France, Spain, and Ireland. Turnout rose compared with 2014, reversing a decades‑long decline, driven by higher participation in member states including Germany, France, and Belgium where voting traditions and mobilization from parties like La République En Marche! influenced results. National-level outcomes featured victories for La République En Marche! in France and for Vox‑style challengers in parts of Spain, while countries like Hungary and Poland returned strong delegations from Fidesz and PiS respectively.

Aftermath and impact

The new composition shaped formation of the European Commission leadership and selection of the President of the European Commission, influencing contenders such as Ursula von der Leyen, who secured support via negotiations among the European People's Party, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, and Renew Europe. Parliamentary group realignments affected committee chair appointments in bodies like the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs. Policy directions on trade agreements like the EU–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and initiatives tied to the European Green Deal were reframed by cross‑group coalitions. The election intensified debates over the future of enlargement of the European Union, the role of the European Court of Justice, and the balance between member state sovereignty and supranational integration, as seen in reactions from leaders such as Emmanuel Macron, Mateusz Morawiecki, and Viktor Orbán.

Opinion polls and projections

Opinion polling in the run‑up featured surveys by national institutes and European aggregators such as European Election Studies and organizations like Pew Research Center. Polls often underestimated late surges by European Green Party affiliates and overestimated performance of traditional parties including the European People's Party and Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Projection models incorporated national polling from institutions like YouGov, Ipsos MORI, and TNS Infratest, and scenario analyses referenced by the European Parliament and academic centers including London School of Economics and European University Institute.

Category:European Parliament elections