The creation of transnational lists in EU elections “is achievable [...] only if the concerns of the small and medium-sized Member States are addressed”, declared Domènec Ruiz Devesa (S&D, Spain) on Tuesday, 20 April, during a seminar held by the European Parliament’s social democratic group on reforming European Union electoral law.
Mr Devesa thus stressed the importance that any proposal aiming to establish transnational lists within a joint constituency respect “geographical balance” as well as political and gender balance. He did not deny the magnitude of the task of convincing reluctant Member States and, within the European Parliament, the EPP group, whose attitude has changed from supporting to rejecting the idea of transnational lists.
The MEP said, “[A]mbition but also [...] careful design” will thus be necessary; in May, he will present his ideas to make the 2024 European Parliament elections a truly European election and contribute to the emergence of a “European public sphere” (see EUROPE 12691/4).
In an audiovisual message, European Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová promised that the EU institution would act as an “honest broker” by providing technical support for electoral processes in Member States, if requested to do so by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.
The issue of transnational lists in EU elections is one of the topics that the Conference on the Future of Europe is supposed to address. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)