Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04BRUSSELS1090
2004-03-15 11:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS: BACKGROUND

Tags:  PREL PGOV EUN USEU BRUSSELS 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001090 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS: BACKGROUND


SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001090

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS: BACKGROUND


SUMMARY
--------------


1. The first European Parliament (EP) elections in a newly
enlarged EU will be held June 10-13. The EP has important
budgetary powers, and decision-making powers on
transportation, environment, data privacy and development
aid, all significant issues in U.S.-EU relations.
Candidates run as national party members but function in the
EP as part of European party groups. The number of
representatives (MEPs) for each country is roughly
proportional to population. We expect low voter turnout and
emphasis on member-state domestic issues to be key features
of the elections. END SUMMARY.

SERIES OF PRE-ELECTION REPORTS
--------------


2. This is the first in a series of reports on the European
elections. The second message will provide general
background on the European elections campaign. Subsequent
telegrams will go into more detail on the role of U.S.-EU
relations in the elections, the reelection prospects of key
MEPs, possible realignment of party groups, and the expected
influence of MEPs from the countries set to join the EU on
May 1.

THE EP ROLE IN THE EU: BACKGROUND
--------------


3. The European Parliament (EP) was created in 1962 when
the European Coal and Steel Community Assembly decided to
describe itself as the "European Parliament." It became one
of the three main EU institutions, with the appointed
European Commission as an executive arm representing
"Community interests" and the Council of Ministers
representing member-state governments. In 1976, the member
states adopted an act providing for direct elections of MEPs
to five-year terms, making the EP the only directly elected
EU institution. The first elections were held in 1979. As
its powers have developed over time, the EP has become
arguably the only directly elected supra-national assembly
in the world with effective decision-making power.

EP: WHAT IT CAN DO
--------------


4. The EP does not fulfill all of the functions of
traditional national parliaments. It cannot raise revenues
for the EU (member-state governments do that) or initiate
legislation (the European Commission has the sole right of
initiative on EU-level legislation). Nonetheless, the EP
has steadily gained powers under the successive European

treaties, and this trend is expected to continue if an EU
constitutional treaty is approved. The EP's powers consist
principally of: (1) budgetary powers - The EP can amend and
must give final approval to the EU budget except for
agricultural expenditures; (2) "co-decision" power, shared
equally between the EP and the member states, to amend or
reject Commission-initiated legislation in many areas --
including areas that can affect U.S. interests such as
transportation, data protection, environment and development
aid; and (3) oversight and monitoring of the other EU
institutions. The European Parliament also has the final
say on the accession of new member states, and can vote to
approve or reject, collectively, the European Commissioners
appointed by the member states.

AFTER ENLARGEMENT
--------------


5. The number of MEPs has risen with each enlargement to
today's 626 seats. Seat allocation is determined according
to population, but with a minimal threshold for smaller
countries and considerably more voters per MEP in the larger
countries than in the other member states. In June, the
first elections in an EU of 25 member states, about 340
million voters will be called on to elect the largest EP
ever - a total of 732 MEPs. The number of languages for
interpretation and translation will increase from 11 to 21
languages (410 possible combinations of languages for
interpretation). The number of MEPs per country will be:

-- Germany - 99
-- France, Italy, UK - 78
-- Spain, Poland - 54
-- Netherlands- 27
-- Belgium, Czech Rep., Greece, Hungary, Portugal - 24
-- Sweden - 19
-- Austria - 18
-- Denmark, Finland, Slovakia - 14
-- Ireland, Lithuania - 13
-- Latvia - 9
-- Slovenia - 7
-- Luxembourg, Estonia, Cyprus - 6
-- Malta - 5

POLITICAL GROUPS IN THE EP
--------------


6. MEPs are elected in their countries on national party
lists, with each country's seats allocated on a proportional
basis. MEP's then unite in transnational political party
groupings in the EP. The Socialists/Social Democrats (PES)
and the Christian Democrats/Conservatives (EPP-ED) have
always been the two largest groups, with a constantly
changing pattern of smaller groups. The EPP-ED came out of
the 1999 elections as the largest group, with 233 EPP-ED
seats to 179 for the PES. The Liberal group (ELDR-now 53
seats),the Greens (now 45 seats) and the far-Left (GUE-
NGL-now 44 seats) all significantly increased in numbers.

LOW INTEREST IN EP ELECTIONS
--------------


7. Preliminary indications are that voters' lack of
understanding of the EP will again result in a decline in
voter participation. So far, turnout has steadily dwindled
in each successive election -- from 63 percent in 1979 to an
all-time low of 49 percent in 1999. According to a
Eurobarometer poll published in February, fewer than 30
percent of respondents in 11 member states (Estonia,
Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland,
Ireland, Spain, Austria, Portugal and the UK) said they
would "definitely vote" in June. Estonia came in last with
only 14 percent. Only in Denmark, Sweden and Greece did
more than 50 percent say they would definitely vote.
Another factor contributing to low voter turnout is that
many voters do not see the relevance of the EP for their
daily lives. Although EU-wide issues such as Turkey's EU
accession and U.S.-EU relations will play a role in the
campaign (septels),polls indicate the EP elections will
focus mainly on issues voters associate not with the EU, but
with the performance of their national governments, such as
employment, crime, and immigration.

FOSTER