European Parliament

European Parliament
European Union · Public domain · source
Name	European Parliament
Native name	Parlament européen; Parlamento Europeo; Europäisches Parlament
Founded	1952 (Common Assembly), 1979 (direct elections)
Seats	720–751 (varies)
Meeting places	Strasbourg; Brussels; Luxembourg
President	Roberta Metsola
Website	Official website

European Parliament The European Parliament is the directly elected legislature of the European Union with seats in Strasbourg and Brussels. It traces institutional roots to the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community and the Treaty of Rome, developing through the Single European Act and the Maastricht Treaty into a co-legislator alongside the Council of the European Union. The body exercises budgetary, supervisory, and legislative functions, interacts with the European Commission and the Court of Justice of the European Union, and represents citizens of member states including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland.

History

Origins lie in post‑war integration efforts such as the European Coal and Steel Community and the Treaty of Paris (1951), forming the Common Assembly in 1952. The Treaty of Rome (1957) transformed institutions for the European Economic Community and set the stage for an assembly that gradually gained powers through treaties like the Single European Act (1986), which extended co-decision, and the Maastricht Treaty (1992), which created the European Union and expanded legislative authority. Direct elections in 1979 established democratic legitimacy, later reinforced by the Lisbon Treaty (2007), which increased ordinary legislative procedure roles and granted the body powers over the EU budget and approval of the European Commission President. Landmark episodes include debates during the Greek accession (1981), enlargement rounds such as the 2004 enlargement and 2007 enlargement, and institutional crises tied to the Santer Commission resignation and the Barroso Commission confirmation processes.

Composition and Membership

Members are elected representatives from member states including United Kingdom (until 2020), Belgium, Netherlands, Romania, Hungary, and Sweden, with allocation affected by the Treaty of Nice and the Treaty of Lisbon. Seats are apportioned roughly by degressive proportionality reflecting population differences among countries like Germany and Malta. Prominent figures have ranged from Simone Veil to Béla Kovács (politician), and presidents have included Gaston Thorn, José Manuel Barroso, and Martin Schulz. Membership changes with national elections, defections to parties such as Renew Europe or Identity and Democracy groupings, and replacement procedures follow national lists or by‑election rules exemplified in France and Ireland.

Powers and Legislative Procedure

The body shares legislative authority with the Council of the European Union under the ordinary legislative procedure established by the Treaty of Lisbon and earlier by the Treaty of Maastricht and Single European Act. It approves the EU budget alongside the European Council and can censure the European Commission through motions of censure, as in actions involving the Santer Commission in 1999. Committees such as Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and Committee on International Trade draft reports, while plenary sittings in Strasbourg and Brussels vote on directives and regulations including measures from the General Data Protection Regulation negotiations and trade agreements like Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement debates. The institution also plays a role in appointment procedures for the European Central Bank and confirmation hearings for commissioners nominated by member states.

Political Groups and Parties

Members align in transnational groups such as European People's Party, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Greens–European Free Alliance, Identity and Democracy, European Conservatives and Reformists, and Renew Europe. National parties from Germany (e.g., Christian Democratic Union of Germany), France (e.g., La République En Marche!), Poland (e.g., Law and Justice), and Italy (e.g., Lega Nord) affiliate to these groups reflecting ideological families like Christian democracy, social democracy, liberalism, green politics, and nationalist conservatism. Group composition affects committee chairs, rapporteur assignments, and legislative bargaining with actors such as Ursula von der Leyen's Commission and leaders at European Council summits.

Institutions and Internal Organization

Internal organs include the President of the Parliament, multiple Vice‑Presidents, a Conference of Presidents, and political group coordinators; notable presidents have been Nicole Fontaine and Antonio Tajani. Bureaucratic functions are managed by the Parliamentary Service and the Directorate‑General units; administrative locations include the European Parliament Strasbourg hemicycle and the Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels offices. Committees—e.g., Committee on Foreign Affairs, Committee on Development—and delegations (such as to the United States–EU relations and ACP–EU delegations) structure legislative work. The Parliament interacts with the European Ombudsman and maintains liaison with the European External Action Service for external policy coordination.

Elections and Representation

Direct elections occur every five years under rules shaped by treaties and national law, including proportional representation systems used in Germany and Spain and single transferable vote used in Ireland and Malta. Voter turnout, campaign financing, and Spitzenkandidat practices have been contentious in contests like the 2014 European Parliament election and 2019 European Parliament election. Representation principles such as degressive proportionality and thresholds established in countries like Greece and Denmark aim to balance population and smaller member state voices. Election monitoring and oversight involve the Council of Europe and references to the European Court of Human Rights when legal disputes arise over electoral procedures.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques target perceived democratic deficit debates originating from scholars citing limited voter engagement and low turnout in elections such as 2009 European Parliament election and accusations of opaque lobbying involving interest groups like Corporate Europe Observatory investigations. Controversies include questions over paying two permanent seats leading to the Budget for the Institutions disputes, plenary session travel costs between Strasbourg and Brussels challenged by European Court of Auditors reports, and scandals involving MEPs investigated in national courts including corruption or misallocation allegations connected to national party networks. Debates on transparency, the role in trade deals like TTIP negotiations, and the balance of powers vis‑à‑vis the European Commission and European Council continue to shape reform proposals debated in treaty conventions and interinstitutional forums.

Category:European Union institutions