On 3 May, the European Parliament adopted a proposal to have more common rules for EU elections and the addition of an EU-wide constituency.
The EU elections determine the representatives of Europeans at EU level, but how they are organised is largely decided at national level. This means that countries vote on different days, only national political parties appear on the ballots and voting age varies.
The proposal seeks to reform the European Electoral Act, which sets out some common standards for the organisation of European elections.
Other proposals to “Europeanise” the elections include:
- 9 May as the common European voting day;
- the right to stand for election for all Europeans of 18 years or older;
- a minimum electoral threshold of 3.5% to be compulsory for constituencies of 60 seats or more;
- equal access to the elections for all citizens, including those with disabilities, and the option of postal voting, and
- the right for citizens to vote for the President of the Commission in a “lead candidate” (Spitzenkandidaten) system through the EU-wide lists.
Read more here.
