The European elections are one of the most important political events within the European Union (EU), offering citizens a crucial opportunity to participate in democracy by electing their representatives to the European Parliament. But what are the intricacies of these elections, how do they work, and why are they so important?
What are the European elections and when will they take place?
The European elections take place every five years across the 27 member states of the European Union. In Luxembourg -and the majority of countries,- they will be held on June 9th this year, allowing citizens to choose members of the European Parliament, one of the EU's key institutions. The Parliament will consist of 720 Members of the European Parliament who represent the interests of EU citizens and participate in the formulation of European legislation. The results of these elections will be broadcast live.
Dates of the European elections in each member country.
What is the role of the European Parliament?
The European Parliament represents the citizens of the 27 EU member states, totalling nearly 500 million people as of January 1, 2024. Its main objectives include three primary missions: drafting (with the Council of the European Union) laws that apply across all member states and have the priority over national law, adopting the EU budget in co-decision with the European Council, and supervising the European Commission.
Who can vote in the European elections?
As for who can vote in European elections, if you are a Luxembourg citizen aged between 18 and 75 and you registered on the electoral roll, you are required to vote. For all EU nationals residing in Luxembourg, there are two ways to vote:
- Either by electing the six representatives of Luxembourg to the European Parliament.
- Or by voting for members of the parliament of their country of origin.
Note: European voters must be at least 18 years old on the day of the election, have resided in Luxembourg when registering on the electoral roll, and be residents in the country on the day of the election.
How do these elections work?
The electoral system for European elections varies from country to country. In Luxembourg, they take place according to a system of proportional representation (meaning that seats in the European Parliament are allocated based on the percentage of votes received by each political party).
Thus, every five years, Luxembourgish citizens go to the polling stations to elect 6 Members of the European Parliament. Voters have two voting options:
- Vote for an entire list by placing a cross in the circle at the top of the list. In this case, each candidate on that list automatically receives a vote.
- Opt for "panachage" by allocating one or two votes to specific candidates, by placing crosses in the boxes behind the names of the chosen candidates. Voters can distribute their votes across one or more lists, up to a total of 6 votes.
Examples of ballot papers for European elections
This method offers voters the opportunity to customize their vote by selecting individual candidates while retaining the flexibility to support an entire list.
During the European elections in Luxembourg in 2019 (also with 6 available seats), following the voters' choices, the main political parties in contention were the DP, the CSV, the GRÉNG, and the LSAP. Here's an overview of the results and seat distribution following these elections:
Allocation of seats according to the proportional representation system, European elections in Luxembourg, 2019
Why are they important?
European elections are very important for several reasons. Firstly, the European Parliament is one of the main institutions of the EU. As explained, it is responsible for adopting European legislation and scrutinizing the EU budget. Therefore, Members of the European Parliament play an essential role in decision-making within the EU.
Additionally, European elections are an important political barometer, providing voters with the opportunity to voice their opinions on various subjects, from economic and social policy issues to environmental and security matters. They often reflect the concerns and priorities of citizens. Among these issues are current challenges that weigh on the society: climate change, immigration, employment, security, and democratic values. The results of these elections can influence the EU's political direction and impact national policies in the member states.
Since the inception of the European project, Luxembourg has consistently stood out as an avid supporter of the EU. As a testament to its commitment to the European ideal, Luxembourg made Europe Day a legal public holiday in 2019, making the Grand Duchy the only country to have made this choice so far.
Go to your local polling station on June, 9th to take part in the 2024 European elections.
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