In adopting its position on the reform of the European Union’s electoral law, the European Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs voted on Monday 28 March in favour of the creation of a European constituency that would allow citizens of the 27 Member States to choose 28 MEPs from transnational lists, in addition to the MEPs elected in each Member State.
All compromise amendments negotiated between the main pro-European political groups were adopted on Monday (see EUROPE 12919/15). Before the vote, there was some doubt as to whether the EPP group would support the compromise amendment requiring gender equality in the composition of candidate lists, both at national and future European constituency level.
“European movements have the possibility of campaigning for their ideals and European politics becomes more representative, innovative and fair”, said Damian Boeselager (Greens/EFA, Germany), the sole representative in the European Parliament of the pan-European Volt party, in a statement. The draft report as amended was adopted by a comfortable majority (19 votes in favour, 9 against, 0 abstentions). On Tuesday, MEPs will vote on a specific motion for a resolution.
The vote in the European Parliament plenary session, which could hold some surprises because it requires an absolute majority of MEPs, is scheduled for May.
Initiated by the Parliament, the reform must be unanimously endorsed by the Member States meeting in the EU Council. In order to come into force as soon as the European elections of 2024, it should be formally adopted in spring 2023 at European level to allow sufficient time for Member States to integrate it into their national law.
See the compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/10d (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)