Close

#Videocrux - European nations gearing up for the EU elections European nations gearing up for the EU elections
It's the biggest trans-national election in history: 375 million eligible voters across the 27 countries of the European Union. Those voted in will wield power in the EU parliament for five years, the only directly-elected EU institution. First to place their vote will be the United Kingdom and the Netherlands on Thursday 4 June, most other countries don’t vote until the 7th.
European nations gearing up for the EU elections
It's the biggest trans-national election in history: 375 million eligible voters across the 27 countries of the European Union. Those voted in will wield power in the EU parliament for five years, the only directly-elected EU institution. First to place their vote will be the United Kingdom and the Netherlands on Thursday 4 June, most other countries don’t vote until the 7th.
Elected MEPs work to form pan-European groups
All 27 countries use some form of proportional representation but the number of MEPs each country elects varies according to its population. Germany has the most people so it has 99 MEPs out of the 736 who sit in parliament. Malta has the least so only has five. Once elected, MEPs join up with other like-minded parliamentarians to form pan-European groups of Socialists, conservatives, centrists or independents.
Polls suggest a record low turnout in this year's election
To oversee the more powerful but unelected European Commission.That includes deciding whether to pass legislation and the budget, some 140 billion euros next year. A vital role when EU legislation is enforced in every country and supersedes national laws.

• Videos
• Comments

Patent Pending | Copyright © 2007-2009 Videocrux Inc. All rights reserved.