European Union elections will be held from the 6th to the 9th of June 2024. Elections are going to be held in 27 countries of the European Union. During this period, approximately 37 crore voters will elect 720 members of the European Parliament.
In terms of number of voters, this is the second-largest election in the world after India. Elections are going to be held in the European Union a week after the elections in India. The impact of the election will not affect Europe, but its difference will be visible all over the world.
The world’s eyes are on the European Union elections
After the general elections in India, now the eyes of the whole world are on the European Union elections to be held next week. Elected MPs for the international assembly will decide on the policies for Europe for the next five years.
In this Parliament of Europe, MPs are elected from all 27 countries according to the population of the countries. As the population increases, the number of MPs also increases. In the 2019 elections, 705 members were elected, while in 2024 their number has increased to 720. Most populous Germany will send 96 MPs. While Portugal will have 21 MPs, only one MP from a small country like Cyprus will be sent to the European Parliament.
How elections of the European Union will be held
Most European Union countries will hold elections on June 9. But the Netherlands is scheduled for June 6, Ireland and the Czech Republic on June 7, and Malta, Slovakia and Latvia on June 8.
The European Parliament is one of the three institutions that run the European Union, which runs this block of 27 countries. Together with EU governments, it decides on laws proposed by the European Commission. The policies it makes regulate the EU market of approximately 450 million people. It does not have as much power as the European Commission or the member states’ national governments. But it can reject or substantially amend legislation and, as the only directly elected EU institution, its pronouncements have political influence.
Main Issues of the election
It is believed that the voters of Europe will mainly vote on the main issues like the horror of the Ukraine war and the resulting rising inflation. Moreover, the rise of China and climate change are major issues. Furthermore, dealing with the rapidly increasing number of migrants is also one of the main issues.
Other issues are
- Europe aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050
- Impact on policies to keep the EU competitive against China and the US
- Strictness in migration-related policies
- The creation of a European Energy Union and the search for alternative energy suppliers to keep energy prices low and stable.
- Boosting European Union Defence Production Capabilities
- Expansion of the EU by including Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans.
- The future shape of the European Union
Changes of power expected in the European Union Parliament
But the biggest challenge is the political representation and inclination of the representatives sent by the political parties of 27 countries to the European Parliament. For this, the parliaments of all the countries form groups based on their political inclinations like leftist, socialist, centrist or right wing.
According to all pre-election surveys, the number of right-wing MPs will increase instead of moderate-right in this election. Surveys show that in the current parliament, the main groups such as the centre-right, centre-left, Greens and Liberals will get a smaller majority. While far-right groups will gain. According to surveys, the centrist group’s seats in the 720-member House will decline. While the populist right-wing Identity and Democracy (ID) group and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) may increase in MPs. But it remains to be seen whether they will be able to get a majority of 361.
