The report, for which 365 MPs voted “for”, 178 – “against” and 71 MPs abstained, calls for measures to increase voter turnout on 6-9 2024. in the upcoming elections in June. However, it is not just about a numerical increase compared to 2019. The Parliament wants the impact of election campaigns to be as large as possible, to change the procedure for establishing the European Commission and electing its president, and to ensure that all citizens can exercise their right to vote.
After the parliamentary elections
MEPs demand a clear and credible link between the choice made by the voters and the election of the President of the Commission. This process should be linked to a majority in the Parliament, as stipulated in the Treaty of Lisbon, and backroom deals in the European Council should be put to an end. MEPs want a binding agreement between the Parliament and the European Council, which would ensure that European political parties and parliamentary groups start negotiations on a common candidate immediately after the elections, even before the European Council’s proposal.
The creation of the commission in the first round of negotiations should be entrusted to the leading candidate from the party that won the largest number of votes in the Parliament. If necessary, the negotiation process could be led by the President of the Parliament. MEPs also expect political parties and groups to conclude a so-called convocation agreement. This would ensure a majority of votes in the Parliament, serve as a basis for the Commission’s work program and guarantee the European voters the implementation of specific ideas.
Greater participation and protection of voting rights
The Parliament also urges the Council to swiftly adopt the new European Elections Law and the new rules on European political parties and foundations, so that the 2024 campaign is at least covered by the rules on political parties. National and European political parties should organize their campaigns in accordance with EU values and emphasize the European dimension of elections.
In order for all EU citizens to exercise their right to vote, Member States must ensure that people with disabilities can more easily access information and polling stations. MEPs also want EU citizens living in another member state or outside the Union and homeless people to participate more actively in the elections. The report also recommends how to protect elections from foreign interference and disinformation.
MEPs welcome the agreement reached by the two legislators on the rules on transparency and targeting of political advertising, and also recognize the important role of Parliament’s institutional information campaign, in cooperation with civil society, promoting debate on European policy issues and complementing party campaigns.
Quotes
Co-rapporteur Sven Zimon (EPP, Germany): “Voters need clarity about how their vote affects who is nominated and EU policy. Unlike 2019, we shouldn’t make promises we can’t keep. Confidence in the lead candidate process needs to be restored. The chairman of the new Commission must clearly receive the authority to act from the voters and the majority of the Parliament.”
Co-rapporteur Domenek Ruiz Devesa (S&D, Spain): “The ground has been prepared for recommendations to European political parties to strengthen the European dimension of the 2024 election campaigns. We need to make the logos of European political parties and their public messages more visible. We also want concrete post-election procedures to be adopted that would increase the importance of European political parties in the process of electing the President of the Commission and strengthen citizens’ right to vote.”
By adopting this report, Parliament is responding to the wishes of the citizens as expressed Conference on the future of Europe in proposalsnamely Proposition 38, Paragraphs 3 and 4, Proposition 27, Paragraph 3, and Proposition 37, Paragraph 4 on strengthening the connection between citizens and their elected representatives, as well as on the fight against disinformation and foreign interference.
2023-12-12 13:28:48
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