Few common principles, then everything else is left to individual countries. Each EU Member State has large autonomy on deciding how to elect their representatives at the European Parliament: there are two compulsory principles, the proportional representation and a minimum threshold (if any) not exceeding 5 percent. All the other issues are left to single governments. Hence, there will be different election days (between May 22nd and 25th) and different minimum ages for voting and for being a candidate. Most countries decided that both are possible at 18 years of age, while in Austria it is possible to vote when over 16, in Cyprus and Italy it is necessary to be 18 for voting and 25 for being elected. Again, in some countries, it is possible to vote both for a list and for a candidate, and choices about the minimum threshold to apply vary. In four countries (Belgium, Cyprus, Greece and Luxembourg) the vote is mandatory. Let’s have a look at the 28 different electoral systems for choosing the next 751 MEPs.
ITALY – Italy will elect 73 MEPs (one of the highest numbers). The electoral system is proportional representation, and it is possible to have up to three preferences. The territory is divided into five districts, each with a number of elected MEPs proportional to the population as per the last census. 20 MEPs for the North-West, 14 for the Northeast, 14 for the Centre, 17 for the South and 8 to the islands. Minimum threshold: 4 percent.
GERMANY – Germany has the highest number of MEPs: 96. It is not divided into districts and each list can be registered only in one Federal State, or as a collective list in all States. It is not possible to express preferences. Until few weeks ago, the minimum threshold was 3 percent, but the German Constitutional Court declared the threshold was unconstitutional, which resulted from a previous downsizing from 5 percent. Thus, May elections will not have any threshold.
FRANCE – France chooses 74 MEPs. The law establishes 8 districts, 7 metropolitan and 1 for overseas districts. There is proportional representation without expressing preferences. Minimum threshold at 5 percent: if a list gest less than this percentage, it does not get any seat.
UNITED KINGDOM – The UK elects 73 MEPs. The country is divided into 12 regions, each of them electing between 3 to 10 MEPs. There is proportional representation based on closed party lists. Things are different in Northern Ireland, where the system is based on ‘single transferable vote’ (STV), allowing the elector to have more than a preference and then allocating seats in compliance with the preferences received. No minimum threshold.
SPAIN – Spain elects 54 MEPs. There is a single district for the entire territory, and blocked and closed lists. No minimum threshold.
POLAND – Poland elects 51 MEPs. There is proportional representation, with a single national district. Lists are closed and blocked, thus there is no possibility of expressing preferences. Minimum threshold is at 5 percent.
ROMANIA – Romania elects 32 MEPs with proportional representation, with blocked lists and a minimum threshold at 5 percent.
THE NETHERLANDS – The number of Dutch MEPs will not change, 26 also in the forthcoming Parliament. The system is proportional representation on national base, with the possibility of expressing preferences. There is no minimum threshold.
PORTUGAL – There are 21 MEPs from Portugal; lists are blocked and it is not possible to express preferences. There is no minimum threshold.
CZECH REPUBLIC – There will be 21 Czech MEPs, one less the current number. There is a single district, and the minimum threshold for being elected is fixed at 5 percent.
GREECE – Greece elects 21 MEPs. There is proportional representation, lists are blocked and there is a single district. Lists getting at least 3 percent will be entitled to have to have MEPs.
BELGIUM – there will be 21 Belgian representatives at the next European Parliament. The country is divided into four districts (Flemish region, Walloon region, German-speaking region and Brussels, capital region) and three electoral constituencies: 12 MEPs are elected by the Flemish electoral constituency (Flanders and Brussels), 8 by the French-speaking electoral constituency (Walloon region and Brussels) and 1 MEP by the German-speaking electoral constituency. Electors can express their preference for single candidates. No minimum threshold.
HUNGARY – Hungary can elect 21 representatives in Strasbourg. There is proportional representation, without preferences. There is a single national district. Only list exceeding the 5 percent minimum threshold can be assigned a seat.
SWEDEN – Swedish MEPs at the next Parliament will be 20. There is proportional representation with the possibility of expressing preferences. A Swedish elector can vote for a list and express only one preference for a candidate of the same list. To be elected according to personal preferences, a candidate should receive at least 5 percent of the votes received by its party. Sweden is a single electoral district. The minimum threshold is at 4 percent.
AUSTRIA – Austria elects 18 MEPs. Citizens can vote for a list and can express preferences. Minimum threshold at 4 percent.
BULGARIA – there will be 17 Bulgarian MEPs at the following Parliament, elected by proportional representation. Party or coalition lists are national (there is no district) and citizens can express preferences for independent candidates. There is no minimum threshold.
FINLAND – Finnish MEPs will be 13. The country is a single district. Citizens can express preferences for some candidate into the same list. There is no minimum threshold.
DENMARK – Danish MEPs will be 13. There is proportional representation, with a single district at national level. Citizens can choose whether to vote the entire list or to indicate preferences for the single candidates on the list. There is no minimum threshold.
SLOVAKIA – Slovakia will elect 13 MEPs. Also here, proportional representation, but with the possibility of expressing preferences. There is a single district and a minimum threshold at 5 percent.
CROATIA – The latest EU Member will have 11 representatives at the Parliament. The Croatian electoral law is proportional representation with the possibility of indicating preferences. There is a single district, with 5 percent minimum threshold.
LTHUANIA – There will 11 Lithuanian MEPs. They will be elected by proportional representation, taking into account the preferences expressed by citizens. Lists should get at least 5 percent of the votes to be assigned a seat at the Parliament.
IRELAND – The new Parliament will see 11 Irish MEPs (one less than the current number). As Malta, Ireland uses the STV system, allowing electors to express more than a preference numbering the candidates on the list. The national territory is divided into 3 districts. There is no minimum threshold.
SLOVENIA – Proportional representation will be the system electing the 8 Slovenian MEPs. There is a single electoral district, and there is no minimum threshold.
LATVIA – there will be 8 Latvian MEPs. There is a proportional representation system with blocked lists. Minimum threshold at 5 percent.
CYPRUS – Cyprus will have 6 MEPs at the next Parliament. There is a single district for the entire national territory. The minimum threshold is 1.8 percent.
ESTONIA – Estonia will have 6 MEPs at the next Parliament. There is a single national district, open lists and no minimum threshold.
LUXEMBOURG – 6 MEPs will represent Luxembourg at the next Parliament. There is proportional representation system, with the possibility of expressing preferences, even with ‘separate’ voting: it is possible to vote for an entire list, choose candidates from different lists or indicate some of the candidates of the same list. There is a single district for the entire country and there is no minimum threshold.
MALTA – Malta elects 6 MEPs, with the STV system. The elector can express as many preferences as he wants, numbering the candidates on the ballot. Candidates are then elected if the get 1/7 of the valid votes in the first counting or in the following ones. There is no minimum threshold.
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