It is one of the biggest Democratic exercises in the world more than 350. exercises in the world more than 350 million people across 28 European. million people across 28 European countries unelectable to vote and to. countries unelectable to vote and to choose their next representatives that. choose their next representatives that will sit here in the European Parliament. will sit here in the European Parliament but with 28 countries voting on. but with 28 countries voting on different days each with its own. different days each with its own electoral laws and procedures it's bound. electoral laws and procedures it's bound to get complicated. to get complicated.
The first European parlament aerial. the first European parlament aerial actions took place back in 1979 when. actions took place back in 1979 when only nine countries were members of what. only nine countries were members of what was then called the European Economic. was then called the European Economic Community since then that community has. Community since then that community has expanded into what's now known as the. expanded into what's now known as the European Union and voters head to the. European Union and voters head to the polls every five years to elect the 751. polls every five years to elect the 751 members of the European Parliament or. members of the European Parliament or MEP s the number of MEP is assigned to. MEP s the number of MEP is assigned to each country varies and corresponds to. each country varies and corresponds to the country's population for example the. the country's population for example the EU s most populous country Germany. EU s most populous country Germany elects 96 lawmakers while Luxembourg. elects 96 lawmakers while Luxembourg only gets six seats in some countries. only gets six seats in some countries like Italy any P's represent a specific. like Italy any P's represent a specific region in others like France they. region in others like France they represent the entire country so now. represent the entire country so now let's get into how all of these MEP s.
let's get into how all of these MEP s are actually elected voting is open to. are actually elected voting is open to all EU citizens and in Belgium Bulgaria. all EU citizens and in Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Greece and Luxembourg it's. Cyprus Greece and Luxembourg it's actually compulsory this time around the. actually compulsory this time around the elections are spread over four voting. elections are spread over four voting days between May 23rd and 26 here in. days between May 23rd and 26 here in Belgium citizens cast their vote on. Belgium citizens cast their vote on Sunday where is the British and the. Sunday where is the British and the Dutch have their say on the previous. Dutch have their say on the previous Thursday the results however are kept. Thursday the results however are kept secret until every country has voted. secret until every country has voted next let's talk about the method or. next let's talk about the method or should I say methods that EU uses to. should I say methods that EU uses to elect its representatives stay with me. elect its representatives stay with me this is where it gets a little bit. this is where it gets a little bit tricky depending on where a voter is. tricky depending on where a voter is based they could be using one of three.
based they could be using one of three systems the closed list open list or. systems the closed list open list or single transferable vote system what. single transferable vote system what they all have in common is that they aim. they all have in common is that they aim to achieve proportional representation. to achieve proportional representation that means the number of votes a party. that means the number of votes a party gets will directly correspond to the. gets will directly correspond to the number of seats they receive in the. number of seats they receive in the European Parliament in the closed list. European Parliament in the closed list system citizens vote for parties those. system citizens vote for parties those parties have already selected a. parties have already selected a list of candidates so if a party gets. list of candidates so if a party gets 20% of votes in a country allocated 10m. 20% of votes in a country allocated 10m EPS the two top people on the party's.
EPS the two top people on the party's list will become members of the European. list will become members of the European Parliament in the open list system. Parliament in the open list system Europeans vote for a party but can also. Europeans vote for a party but can also indicate their favorite candidate. indicate their favorite candidate this means voters can actually change. this means voters can actually change the order of the party's list. the order of the party's list therefore influencing which of the. therefore influencing which of the parties candidates become MEP s in the. parties candidates become MEP s in the single transferable vote system voters. single transferable vote system voters can choose as many candidates as they. can choose as many candidates as they like and then number them by preference. like and then number them by preference these votes are counted in phases first. these votes are counted in phases first people's number one preferences are. people's number one preferences are counted and candidate who passes a. counted and candidate who passes a certain quota of votes is elected any. certain quota of votes is elected any votes exceeding that quota are then. votes exceeding that quota are then changed into the ballots second.
changed into the ballots second preference and transferred to the other. preference and transferred to the other candidates if they're still aren't. candidates if they're still aren't enough votes to reach the quota the. enough votes to reach the quota the candidate with the lowest amount of. candidate with the lowest amount of votes is eliminated and those votes are. votes is eliminated and those votes are transferred to the second preference -. transferred to the second preference - this process is repeated until all seats. this process is repeated until all seats up for election are filled one more. up for election are filled one more thing. thing some countries have what's called an. some countries have what's called an electoral threshold which means that a. electoral threshold which means that a party or a candidate needs to get a. party or a candidate needs to get a certain percentage of the national vote. certain percentage of the national vote in order to get a seat here in Brussels.
in order to get a seat here in Brussels this in theory keeps fringe or extremist. this in theory keeps fringe or extremist parties from winning seats without. parties from winning seats without meeting a minimum level of widespread. meeting a minimum level of widespread support so citizens select their parties. support so citizens select their parties and candidates at a national level they. and candidates at a national level they then align themselves with other EU. then align themselves with other EU politicians with similar views and form. politicians with similar views and form one big pan EU group at the European. one big pan EU group at the European Parliament these alliances help. Parliament these alliances help standalone parties and independent.
standalone parties and independent politicians gain more influence the big. politicians gain more influence the big elephant in the room is of course brexit. elephant in the room is of course brexit the European Parliament 751 seats will. the European Parliament 751 seats will shrink down to 705. shrink down to 705 once the UK leaves the European Union. once the UK leaves the European Union the plan is to reallocate some of those. the plan is to reallocate some of those seats to and represented countries like. seats to and represented countries like France. France Spain Italy and the Netherlands there. Spain Italy and the Netherlands there was another proposal on the table to. was another proposal on the table to trans nationalists it would have to. trans nationalists it would have to reform the UK seats intercedes for a. reform the UK seats intercedes for a pan-european constituency its advocates. pan-european constituency its advocates who include the likes of French. who include the likes of French president Amira McClung say it would.
President Amira McClung say it would strengthen the European democracy by. strengthen the European democracy by forcing parties to discuss European not. forcing parties to discuss European not just national issues new lawmakers have. just national issues new lawmakers have rejected this idea but it does bring us. rejected this idea but it does bring us back to why this year's European. back to why this year's European elections are seen as so important Pro. elections are seen as so important Pro Europe parties have dominated the. Europe parties have dominated the Parliament but nationalists and. Parliament but nationalists and Euroskeptics are gaining traction. Euroskeptics are gaining traction whoever sits in the European Parliament. whoever sits in the European Parliament will help determine what happens next in. will help determine what happens next in this economic and political union hi. this economic and political union hi guys it's Sylvia here if you'd like to. guys it's Sylvia here if you'd like to know more about how the EU works check. know more about how the EU works check out our explanation and if you have any. out our explanation and if you have any more ideas let us know in the comment. more ideas let us know in the comment section I will see you soon.
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