The European Parliament

Structure and Elections

The European Parliament is the only directly elected EU institution. Its 720 members (MEPs) are elected every five years by citizens across all 27 member states. Seats are allocated roughly by population — Germany has the most (96), while Malta, Luxembourg, and Cyprus have the fewest (6 each).

MEPs sit in political groups based on ideology, not nationality. The two largest groups are the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) and the centre-left Socialists & Democrats (S&D). Unlike national parliaments, no single group has ever held a majority, so legislation requires cross-group coalition building.

Powers and Limits

The Parliament's powers have grown significantly with each treaty revision:

• Co-legislation: Under the 'ordinary legislative procedure,' Parliament and the Council must both approve legislation. Parliament can amend or reject proposals.
• Budget: Parliament approves the EU's annual budget and has the final say on non-compulsory spending.
• Oversight: Parliament confirms the Commission President and can dismiss the entire Commission through a vote of no confidence.

However, Parliament still cannot propose legislation (only the Commission can) and has limited power over foreign and security policy.

Who Sits Where: The Political Groups

MEPs organise into transnational political groups. After the June 2024 election the main groups were roughly as follows (seats shift with defections):

Because no group holds anywhere near the 361 seats needed for a majority, most legislation passes through an informal 'grand coalition' centred on the EPP, S&D, and Renew. A group's leverage comes from being needed to build 361 votes, not from governing alone.

Worked Example: How the Ordinary Legislative Procedure Works

The ordinary legislative procedure (OLP), formerly called 'co-decision,' is how most EU laws are made. Parliament and the Council of the EU are co-legislators with equal weight.

1. Proposal: The Commission tables a draft — say, the GDPR data-protection regulation.
2. First reading: Parliament adopts its position and amendments; the Council adopts its own position.
3. If they agree, the act is adopted. If not, it goes to a second reading where each side can amend again within set deadlines.
4. Conciliation: If they still disagree, a Conciliation Committee of equal numbers from both sides negotiates a joint text.
5. Final vote: Both institutions must approve the joint text, or the proposal falls.

In practice most files are now settled early through informal three-way 'trilogue' meetings between Parliament, Council, and Commission. The key point for analysis: neither Parliament nor the Council can impose a law on the other — they must converge, which is why EU legislation is often a negotiated compromise rather than a clean partisan win.