Européennes

Européennes is the French term for the elections to the European Parliament, the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union. These elections bring together representatives from all EU member states and determine the composition of the Parliament, which shares legislative power with the Council of the European Union.

The European Parliament has been elected directly by EU citizens since 1979. The number of seats has changed over time in response to enlargements and the departure of the United Kingdom; it is currently 705 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) across 27 member states. Elections are held every five years, with the date set by each member state within a common five‑week window. Voting rules, including eligibility and the electoral system, vary by country, but most use some form of proportional representation with party lists.

In practice, the European Parliament exercises its powers through the ordinary legislative procedure, or codecision, with the Council. This gives the Parliament significant influence over EU laws, the budget, and supervisory functions over other EU institutions. Political groupings within the Parliament—such as center-right, social-democratic, liberal, green, and nationalist or regionalist groups—shape its stance on issues and the formation of committees and leadership positions. The concept of Spitzenkandidaten, where lead candidates for the European Commission presidency are presented during the elections, has influenced recent cycles, though it is not a formal provision of EU law.

Plenary sessions are held in Strasbourg, while most committee work occurs in Brussels; the Secretariat is based in Luxembourg. Européeennes thus reflect both national political dynamics and broader European priorities on topics ranging from the economy to climate, foreign policy, and digital regulation.