The second biggest democratic elections (after the ones in India)- are over: The Result: The European People's Party is again the strongest party in the European Parliament. They lost only slightly (-0,4 %) in compare to the elections 5 years ago, in 2004. While the Social democrats lost more (-6 %), other parties (like ALDE, EUL, GUE and IN/DEM) only lost slightly. The only 'real' party which could win a certain amount of votes is the European Green Party (+ 1,4 %)- the big winners? The Parties which appear in no European Alliance, scattered in the parliament, having from one up to 6 members- which increased from 3,8 to 12,2 %, what is actually a plus of 300 %! but as I said, they don't appear as one party, so this won't help them a lot.
It seems that, in the crisis the people tended again more to vote for conservative parties, as the EPP represent. Their main points are economics and agriculture, plus- they seem to radiat some kind of secruity, which let the people voting them. A big fear was also many countries could shift towards far- right attitudes, but after the elections that doesn't seem too drastic anymore. Some countries (as the Netherlands) slided themselves into a kind of that direction, though.
What should make us really worried is the low voter participation. Only 42,09 % EU- wide (which number the Czech Republic hit exactly, btw ;-) ). That is pretty low and should make the politicans thinking, what the reasons are (many people claimed they find the European Union too less transparent, what is actually quite true). But let's take a closer look to the single country participations:
The winner is definitely Luxemburg with 91%- but no big surprise, as the second place of Belgium (85,86 %)- those are the countries with the 'heart' of the union, and those countries definitely get more information about the Union than we do, additionally they really take a big advantage of having all the functions in their countries. Most of the people there are also quite satisfied with the union, while e.g. Austria has always a steady number of 1/3 supporters, 1/3 objectors and 1/3 of undecided people.
If we look at the lower part of the chart, we surprisingly see 5 of the newer member states- especially Lithuania and Slovakia at the absolute bottom with only around 20% of participation. Ones should think that they are happy to be in the Union finally and that they can vote, but I talked with my boyfriend, who actually lives in Slovenia (also one of the "top down" countries as 23rd of 27 member states) who said, that people there are quite unsatisfied, because of some reasons, as they cannot enter freely the working market of the 'older' union states yet. What to say about that? I fear it doesn't help NOT to go voting then, but only to go there and to vote for the people who represent your opinion. And it can also be the other way round- if we look at the top 3, where right behind Luxemburg and Belgium Malta takes place- with almost 80 % ! The Maltese people are known as enthusiastic europeans- although they cannot enter the market yet. Right behind Malta Italy, with already quite a respect distance- but the Italians did it clever, they additionally made the mayor- elections (as Daniele told me)- and so they reached a higher %- sentence. Obviously some people will say now: Let's do that for all countries! Haha- just imagine that chaos if that would have to be organised ^^- and additionally, it wouldn't solve the real problem.
Chart of voter's participations:
1. Luxemburg (91 %)
2. Belgium (85,86 %)
3. Malta (78,81 %)
4. Italy (66,46 %)
5. Danmark (59,5 %)
6. Cyprus (59,4 %)
7. Ireland: (55 %)
8. Latvia (53,06 %)
9. Greece (52,18 %)
10. Spain (44,3 %)
11. Sweden (43,8 %)
12. Germany (43,3 %)
13. Estonia (43,2 %)
14. Czech Republic (43,09 %)
EU AVERAGE: 43,09 %
15. Austria (42,4 %)
16. France (40,48 %)
17. Finland (40,3 %)
18. Bulgaria (37,49 %)
19. Portugal (37,05 %)
20. Netherlands (36,5 %)
21. Hungary (36,09 %)
22. UK (34,8 %)
23. Slovenia (28,02 %)
24. Poland (27,4 %)
25. Romania (27,21 %)
26. Lithuania (20,88 %)
27. Slovakia (19,64 %)
_______________
The European Parliament:The European Parliament (Europarl or EP) is the directly elected parliamentary instit
ution of the European Union. Together with the Council of the European Union, it forms the bicameral legislative branch of the Union's institutions and has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world. The Parliament and Council form the highest legislative body within the Union. However, their powers as such are limited to the competencies conferred upon the European Community by member states. Hence the institution has little control over policy areas held by the states and within the other two of the three pillars of the European Union. The Parliament is composed of 785 MEPs (Member of the European Parliament), who serve the second largest democratic electorate in the world (after India), as already mentioned before, and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world (342 million eligible
voters in 2004- who, unfortunately mostly don't use their right, as we know...).
The
president of the European Parliament is is (nope, not Barroso ;-)- he is the leader of the European Commission ):
Hans- Gert Pöttering (member of the EPP)
The elections for the European Parliament are
every 5 years.
It takes place in
Brussels (Belgium) and
Strasbourg (France).
It is dominated by a grand coalition of the People's Party (
EPP) and Socialist Party (
PES).
The number of the mandates by country depend on the number of inhabitants (but don't ask me how they calculate this, because however you turn it, it never can come out right). Here is the list of countries from the one of the most mandates (Germany, with 99) to the one with the least (Malta with 5):
1. Germany: 99
2. France: 72
3. Italy: 72
4. UK: 72
5. Poland: 50
6. Spain: 50
7. Romania: 33
8. Netherlands: 25
9. Belgium: 22
10. Greece: 22
11. Hungary: 22
12. Portugal: 22
13. Czech Republic: 22
14. Sweden: 18
15. Austria: 17
16. Bulgaria: 17
17. Finland: 13
18. Danmark: 13
19. Slovakia: 13
20. Lithuania: 12
21. Ireland: 12
22. Latvia: 8
23. Slovenia: 7
24. Cyprus: 6
25. Estonia: 6
26. Luxemburg: 6
27. Malta: 5
_____________
Sum: 736
Okay... but who ARE actually those fractions in the European Parliament who fill those 736 members?- and which parties do they include?
(Important Info: Shortcuts: (in brackets are the shortcuts which I used in the chart below!)Let's start with the strongest of them- the
European People's Party-
European Democrats:
short: EPP-ED (
EPP)
seats (temp): 267
color: dark blue
The European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats (EPP-ED) is the current centre-right political group of the European Parliament.
EPP-ED is one of the three oldest Groups, dating its origin back to September 1952 and the first meeting of the Parliament's predecessor, the Common Assembly.
[en.Wikipedia]INCLUDED PARTIES:* Austrian People's Party (Austria)
* Centre democrate Humaniste (Belgium)
CD&V (Belgium)
Democratic Party (Belgium)
* Agrarian People's Union (Bulgaria)
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (Bulgaria)
Union of Democratic Forces (Bulgaria)
GERB BG (Bulgaria)
* Democratic Rally of Cyprus (Cyprus)
* Krestanka a demokraticka unie (Czech Republic)
* Christlich-Soziale Union (Germany)
Christlich Demokratische Union (Germany)
* Kristendemokraterne (Danmark)
DET KONSERVATIVE FOLKEPARTI (Danmark)
* Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit, Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (Estonia)
* Kansallinen Kokoomus (Finland)
* Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (France)
* NEA DEMOKRATIA (ΝΕΑ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ) (Greece)
* Christian Democratic People s Party (Hungary)
Magyar Demokrata Forum (Hungary)
Fidesz - Magyar Polg ri Sz vets g (Hungary)
* Fine Gael (Ireland)
* UDC - Unione dei Democratici Cristiani e dei Democratici di Centro (Italy)
POPOLARI UDEUR (Italy)
Forza Italia (Italy)
* Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats (Lithuania)
* Chrischtlech Sozial Vollekspartei (Luxemburg)
* New Era (Latvia)
Tautas Partija (Latvia)
* Partit Nazzjonalista (Malta)
* Christen Democratisch App l (CDA) (Netherlands)
* Platforma Obywatelska (Poland)
PSL (Poland)
* Partido Social Democrata (Portugal)
Democratic and Social Centre - People's Party (Portugal)
* Romᮩai Magyar Demokrata (Romania)
Partidul National Taranesc Crestin Democrat (Romania)
Democratic-Liberal Party (Romania)
* Slovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic Party (Slovakia)
Strana Madarskej koal cie (Slovakia)
Christian Democratic Movement (Slovakia)
* Nova Slovenija - Krscanska ljudska stranka (Slovenia)
Slovenian Democratic Party (Slovenia)
Slovenian People's Party (Slovenia)
* Partido Popular (Spain)
Unio Democr tica de Catalunya (Spain)
* Kristdemokraterna (Sweden)
Moderaterna (Sweden)Party of European Socialists
short: PES (
PES)
seats (temp): 159
color: red
Aims:
- The strengthening of the socialist and social democratic movement in the Union and throughout Europe.
- The development of close working relationships between the national parties, the national parliamentary groups, the Parliamentary Group of the PES, PES Women, ECOSY, and other socialist and social democratic organisations.
- The definition of common policies for the European Union.
- The adoption of a common manifesto for elections to the European Parliament.
[en.wikipedia.]
INCLUDED PARTIES:*Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs- Austria
* Parti Socialiste- Belgium
Sociaal Progressief Alternatief- Belgium
* Bulgarski Socialdemocrati- Bulgaria
* Kinima Sosialdimokraton - Cyprus
* Ceská strana sociálne demokratická- Czech Republic
* Socialdemokraterne- Denmark
* Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond- Estonia
* Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue- Finland
* Parti Socialiste- France
* Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands- Germany
* Panellinio Sosialistiko Kinima- Greece
* Magyarorszagi Szocialdemokrata Párt- Hungary
Magyar Szocialista Párt- Hungary
* Labour Party- Ireland
* Democratici Di Sinistra- Italy
Partito Socialista- Italy
* Latvijas Socialdemokratiska Strandnieku Partija- Latvia
* Lietuvos Socialdemokratu Partija- Lithuania
* Lëtzebuerger sozialistesch Aarbechterpartei- Luxembourg
* Partit Laburista- Malta
* Partij Van De Arbeid- Netherlands
* Det Norske Arbeiderparti-Norway
* Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej- Poland
Unia Pracy- Poland
* Partido Socialista- Portugal
* Partidul Social Democrat- Romania
* Sociálna demokracia- Slovak Republic
* Socialni Demokrati- Slovenia
* Partido Socialista Obrero Español- Spain
* Sveriges Socialdemokratiska Arbetareparti- Sweden
* Labour Party- United Kingdom
Social Democratic and Labour Party- United Kingdom Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
for Europe
short: ALDE (
Lib)
seats (temp): 81
color: yellow
The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is a transnational alliance between two European political parties: the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. It has political groups in the European Parliament, the EU Committee of the Regions, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. In these groups, there are assorted independents.
[en.wikipedia]INCLUDED PARTIES:* Die Liberalen- Austria
* Mouvement Réformateur - Belgium
Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten - Belgium
* Movement for Rights and Freedoms - Bulgaria
National Movement for Stability and Progress - Bulgaria
* Independent CY- Cyprus
* Det Radikale Venstre - Denmark
Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti - Denmark
* Eesti Keskerakond - Estonia
Eesti Reformierakond - Estonia
* Suomen Keskusta - Finland
Svenska folkpartiet - Finland
* Avenir Démocrate - France
Mouvement Démocrate - France
* Freie Demokratische Partei- Germany
* Szabad Demokraták Szövetsége- Hungary
* Independent IE- Ireland
* Partito Democratico - Italy
Radicali Italiani/Lista Bonino - Italy
* Savienîba "Latvijas Celð"- Latvia
* Darbo partija - Lithuania
Liberalų ir centro sąjunga - Lithuania
Lietuvos Respublikos Liberalų Sąjūdis - Lithuania
* Parti démocratique- Luxembourg
* Democraten 66 - Netherlands
Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie- Netherlands
* Partia Demokratyczna- Poland
* National Liberal Party- Romania
* Liberalna Demokracija Slovenije- Slovenia
* Convergència Democràtica Catalunya - Spain
Partido Nacionalista Vasco- Spain
* Centerpartiet - Sweden
Folkpartiet liberalerna- Sweden
* Liberal Democrat Party- United KingdomUnion for Europe of the Nations
short: UEN (
EoN)
seats (temp): 35
color: light blue
Even National Alliance, which despite having its roots in the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement is a moderate-conservative party, is growing uncomfortable within UEN and is seeking admission to the European People's Party and its group. This will finally happen in 2009, when it will be merged with Forza Italia, a christian-democratic and liberal party, into the People of Freedom.
Lega Nord is also uncomfortable with its groupmates and would like to form an alliance with other regionalist parties and as two of the three component Polish parties are almost disbanded, the future of the group is uncertain.
INCLUDED PARTIES:* Danish People's Party- Danmark
* National Alliance- Italy
Lega Nord- Italy
The Right- Italy
* For Fatherland and Freedom- Latvia
* Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union- Lithuania
Order and Justice- Lithuania
* Law and Justice- Poland
League of Polish Families- Poland
Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland- Poland
Polish Peasant Party "Piast"- PolandEuropean Greens-
European free Alliance
short: Greens – EFA (
Gr)
seats (temp): 51
color: green
This group consists of two distinct European political parties - the European Green Party and the European Free Alliance (EFA). The EFA consists of parties representing stateless nations. These parties are civic nationalists and regionalists, broadly of the centre and centre-left. Their aims are around enviroment, more 'green' jobs for the economy and a social and transparent European Union.
[en.wikipedia]
INCLUDED PARTIES:* The Greens- The Green Alternative- Austria
* Ecolo- Belgium
Green!- Belgium
* Green League- Finland
* The Greens- France
* Alliance 90/ The Greens- Germany
* Federation of the Greens- Italy
* For Human Rights in United Latvia- Latvia
* The Greens- Luxembourg
* Green Left- Netherlands
Europe Transparent- Netherlands
* Independent- Romania
* Federation of the Greens- Spain
Initiative for Catalonia Greens- Spain
Eusko Alkartasuna- Spain
* Green Party- Sweden
* Green Party of England and Wales- United Kingdom
Scottisch National Party- United Kingdom
Plaid Cymru- Party of Wales- United KingdomEuropean United Left-
Nordic Green Left
short: EUL-NGL (
GL)
seats (temp): 33
color: dark red
The group is opposed to the present European political structure, but "deeply committed to the construction of Europe", as specified in the group's constituent declaration. That declaration sets out three aims for the construction of another Europe: the total change of institutions to make them "fully democratic"; a new model of development and ecology aimed at creating a "social space" and breaking with neoliberalism; and a policy of co-development and equitable cooperation.
The group is ambiguous between reformism and revolution, leaving it up to each party to decide on the manner they deem best suited to achieve these aims. As such, it has simultaneously positioned itself as "insiders" within the European institutions, enabling it to influence the decisions made by co-decision, and as "outsiders" by its willingness to seek "another Union" which would abolish the Maastricht Treaty.
[en.wikipedia]INCLUDED PARTIES:* Progressive Party of Working People- Cyprus
* Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia- Czech Republic
* Left Alliance- Finland
* French Communist Party- France
* The Left- Germany
* Communist Party of Greece- Greece
Synaspismos- Greece
* Sinn Féin- Ireland/UK
* Communist Refoundation Party- Italy
Party of Italian Communists- Italy
* Socialist Party- Netherlands
* Portuguese Communist Party
Left Bloc- Portugal
* United Left- Spain
* Left Party- SwedenIndependence and Democracy
short: ID (
InDe)
seats (temp): 20
color: orange
The 2004 European Parliament elections were reported as a good result for Eurosceptic parties. Some joined together in the first week of the new Parliament to form the Eurosceptic group called "Independence/Democracy", succeeding the group called "Europe of Democracies and Diversities" that had existed before the elections.
In the first week, IND/DEM assigned a UKIP MEP to the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality. The MEP, Godfrey Bloom, promptly made comments including "No self-respecting small businessman with a brain in the right place would ever employ a lady of child-bearing age" and "I am here to represent Yorkshire women who always have dinner on the table when you get home. I am going to promote men's rights." The remarks engendered outrage from a range of fellow politicians.
One UKIP MEP never made it to IND/DEM. MEP Ashley Mote was expelled from UKIP prior to IND/DEM's formation when it became known that he faced charges for housing benefit fraud. Mote went on to join the far-right Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty group before being convicted in 2007.
The Lega Nord MEPs eventually all left the group after their expulsion from IND/DEM following an incident involving a t-shirt and the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy. MEPs from the League of Polish Families also left the group, although not all and not all at once.
[en.wikipedia]INCLUDED PARTIES:* United Kingdom Independence Party- United Kingdom
* JuniBevægelsen- Denmark
* Mouvement pour la France- France
* ChristenUnie - SGP- Netherlands
* Popular Orthodox Rallye- Greece
* Junilistan- Sweden
* Nezavisli- Czech Republic Non-Inscrits
short: NI (
Oth)
seats (temp): 90
color: grey
Non-Inscrits (English: Non-Attached Members) are Members of the European Parliament (MEP) who do not sit in one of the political groups.
The MEPs may be part of a national party, or a European political party but for a political grouping in parliament to be formed there needs to be 25 MEPs from seven different states. Being part of a group grants access to state funds and committee seats but the group members must be ideologically tied. Groups of convenience, such as the Technical Group of Independents that previously existed, are no longer allowed and the minimum requirements of groups have been raised forcing more extreme elements to sit as NIs.
[en.wikipedia]
INCLUDED PARTIES/ LISTS:* Liste Hans Peter Martin- Austria
Freedom Party- Austria
* Flemish Interest- Belgium
* National Union Attack- Bulgaria
* Independent Democrats- Czech Republic
* National Front- France
* Olive Tree- Italy
Social Alternative- Italy
Tricolour Flame- Italy
* League of the Polish Families- Poland
* People's Party- Movement for a Democratic Slovenia- Slovenia
* Traditional Unionists Voice- United Kingdom
Conservative Party- United Kingdom_____________________________
So, know when you probably know those parties a bit better, you can have a better image what the people in the single countries voted for. Although, you obviously have to remember, that mostly NON- European topics dominated the election- campaigns, and that in every country (the best example is probably the United Kingdom with its charges- scandal, which for the govering party (the labour party of Gordon Brown) got quite a hit.
Anyway, finally here the list of the seats for the single countries and parties:
Austria:
EPP: 6
PES: 5
Gr: 1
Oth: 5
Belgium:
EPP: 6
PES: 5
Lib: 5
Gr: 3
Oth: 3
Bulgaria:
EPP: 7
PES: 4
Lib: 4
Oth: 2
Czech Republic:
EPP: 2
PES: 7
GL: 3
Oth: 9
Cyprus:
EPP: 2
PES: 1
GL: 2
Oth: 1
Danmark:
EPP: 2
PES: 3
Lib: 3
Gr: 2
Oth: 1
Estonia:
EPP: 1
PES: 1
Oth: 4
Finland:
EPP: 4
PES: 2
Lib: 4
Gr: 2
Oth: 1
France:
EPP: 30
PES: 17
Lib: 6
Gr: 14
GL: 4
InDe:1
Oth: 3
Germany:
EPP: 42
PES: 23
Lib: 12
Gr: 14
GL: 8
Greece:
EPP: 7
PES: 9
Gr: 1
GL: 3
InDe: 2
Hungary:
EPP: 15
PES: 4
Oth: 3
Italy:
EPP: 35
Lib: 7
EoN: 8
Oth: 22
Ireland:
EPP: 4
PES: 2
Lib: 1
EoN: 3
GL: 1
InDe: 1
Latvia:
EPP: 1
Lib: 1
EoN: 3
Gr: 1
Oth: 2
Lithuania:
EPP: 4
PES: 3
Lib: 2
EoN: 2
Oth: 1
Luxemburg:
EPP: 3
PES: 1
Lib: 1
Gr: 1
Malta:
EPP: 2
PES: 3
Netherlands:
EPP: 5
PES: 3
Gr: 3
GL: 2
InDe: 2
Oth: 4
Poland:
EPP: 28
PES: 6
FP: 16
Portugal:
EPP: 10
PES: 7
GL: 5
Romania:
EPP: 14
PES: 11
Lib: 6
Oth: 2
Slovakia:
EPP: 6
PES: 5
EoN: 1
Oth: 1
Slovenia:
EPP: 3
SP: 2
Lib: 2
Spain:
EPP: 23
PES: 21
Lib: 2
Gr: 2
GL: 1
Oth: 1
Sweden:
EPP: 5
PES: 5
Lib: 4
Gr: 2
GL: 1
Oth: 1
UK:
PES: 12
Lib: 11
Gr: 5
GL: 1
InDe: 14
Oth: 29
___________________
SUM:
EPP: 267
PES: 159
Lib: 81
Gr: 51
EoN: 35
GL: 33
InDe: 20
Oth: 90
_____________
That's it... all my calculations are for nothing if the treaty of Lissabon will come (and at the moment it looks like that)- because then the mandates will move from country to country. But anyway, I hope you got some Infos ;-)
