Renew Europe strongly welcomes the adoption of a reform of the European Electoral Law in the European Parliament Committee on Constitutional Affairs, after a political agreement between the four largest Groups in the European Parliament on 28 March. MEPs approved a proposal for 28 transnational seats for an EU-wide constituency, on top of the current 705 seats. These lists will have to ensure geographic balance between large, medium and smaller EU member states, as well as being gender balanced.

Renew Europe looks forward to the adoption of this file by the European Parliament and negotiations with the EU Council so that transnational lists can be in place for the 2024 European elections. The Conference on the Future of Europe has demonstrated that EU citizens support the idea of transnational lists, and Renew Europe believes European citizens should have two votes; one for their national lists and one for the European-wide list. This is an opportunity to strengthen the European Union, the European public sphere and a sense of belonging to the EU.

Guy Verhofstadt MEP (Open Vld, BE), Renew Europe shadow rapporteur on this file, declared:

“A real European Union needs truly European elections. Transnational lists can change the momentum so that there is finally a campaign that crosses national boundaries, and so that voters know they are nominating politicians who truly represent Europe as a whole. Today's EU is too important to be run along the lines of 'second-order’ elections!"

🗳️🇪🇺 #RenewEurope leads reform of the European Electoral Law!

Members today approved a proposal for 28 transnational seats for the EU-wide constituency on top of the current 705 seats.@guyverhofstadt: ”A real Union needs truly European elections.”

📰 https://t.co/CkSNzWsRbn pic.twitter.com/tF9sOuk8Qq

— Renew Europe (@RenewEurope) March 28, 2022

Photo credit: Guy Verhofstadt