The European Parliament is perhaps the most visible of all EU institutions. Every five years, EU citizens are asked to participate in the election of individuals who will be tasked to represent their interests. This makes it the only directly-elected institution of the European Union.
The Treaty of Lisbon provides for a maximum of 751 MEPs from every member state of the European Union. MEPs sit according to their transnational party groups. Such groups include the European People’s Party (representing a broadly centre-right platform), the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (consisting of a coalition of moderate euro sceptics from the centre-right), European United Left–Nordic Green Left (representing a left-wing euro sceptic platform), The Greens-European Free Alliance and other independent candidates (often referred to as Non-Inscrits).
Elections have often been criticised for failing to engage with the electorate; indeed voter turnout has plummeted from 62% in 1979 to just over 43% in 2014. Analysts refer to such elections as “second order” elections. Such elections are not considered to be as important as national elections by the voters. The result is therefore characterised by lower voter turnout and a higher protest vote. Parties themselves may not always give the importance due to these elections. They have slowly morphed into votes of confidence in the incumbent governments. Engaging citizens has been an uphill struggle. The lack of participation has often led to critics accusing the Parliament of being too distant from daily citizen concerns.
The European Parliament is based in three cities. The official seat of the European Parliament is located in Strasbourg and parliament meets in plenary session on three or four days per month. Parliament also meets in the Espace Leopold complex in Brussels. The administrative offices of the European Parliament are based in Luxembourg.
The legislative role of the European Parliament gives it the power to legislate together with the Council. This procedure, known as co-decision, allows for continuous contacts throughout the process of formulating legislation thereby allowing for more opportunities to reach consensus. The European Parliament may also deliver its opinions on Commission proposals. However, the task of initiating policies formally lies with the European Commission.
The European Parliament is also responsible for approving the annual budget and for checking and controlling expenditure. The latter is done in collaboration with the European Court of Auditors.
The supervisory role of the European Parliament is a vital component of its functions. Both the Commission President and the European Commission must be approved by the European Parliament. A public hearing is held to question individual commissioners prior to their appointment. The Parliament can also question the Council and the European Commission and the latter may even be censured or dismissed.
During the 2014 European Parliament elections, some transnational parties proposed a main candidate to nominate for President of the European Commission. After overcoming some reservations, the Council agreed to formally nominate the proposed appointee, Jean Claude Junker. This has brought an indirect shift in the policy-making dynamic of the EU. The Council is still formally responsible for appointing the President of the European Commission. Nonetheless, the Parliament gained an additional indirect leverage following this choice.
The entire policy-making process of the European Union is a delicate balancing act which tries to ensure consensus at every step. The European Parliament plays a key role in striking this balance.
The complex mechanics of policy-making at EU level may raise questions over the effectiveness and influence of the European Parliament. On an EU level, it remains a key institution – not least for the role it plays in directly engaging citizens. Nonetheless, the role of the member states and national parliaments is equally crucial for they are responsible for transposing, implementing and administering EU law and policy.
For the European Parliament to strengthen its public legitimacy and improve its role, it must strive to engage with citizens further. The extent to which it will successfully engage will be a key determinant to the way its future will evolve.