By José Carlos Palma*
According to Politico, the dates for the European Elections in 2024 have been set. From June 6 to 9, 2024, citizens across Europe will have the opportunity to elect the next Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
This decision was approved by European Union diplomats and announced by the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The election is expected to bring potential changes not only to the European Parliament but also to the European Commission.
The political landscape in Europe is undergoing a reshuffle, as the European People’s Party considers forming alliances with the far right, altering its previous pro-EU coalition with the center-left.
The selected dates of the election have faced some criticism, with Portugal expressing concerns about lower voter turnout due to a national holiday on June 10.
However, alternative dates could not be agreed upon unanimously. The official announcement of the election dates is expected next week when ministers sign the decision.
The European Parliament election, which occurs every five years, is considered the largest transnational vote worldwide, involving over 400 million voters from various nationalities.
The election results will also lead to changes in the leadership of the European Commission and the European Council, as the positions currently held by Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel will become vacant.
Von der Leyen has not yet confirmed whether she will seek a second term as European Commission president, and Michel is legally prohibited from serving more than two consecutive 2.5-year terms as the European Council’s leader.
The previous European Parliament election in May 2019 saw an increased voter turnout of 50.66% compared to the 2014 vote.
In response to the announcement of the upcoming election dates, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola took to Twitter, urging citizens to register and participate in Europe’s largest democracy exercise. She acknowledged that the European Union is not perfect and emphasized the need for reform, stating that change should be embraced rather than feared.
Early projections by Europe Elects indicate that the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) is expected to lose around 20 seats but remain the largest group with 163 MEPs, followed by the Socialists and Democrats group with 141 seats.
Several key issues are anticipated to feature prominently in the campaign, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the cost of living crisis, energy supplies, climate change, and migration.
The corruption scandal known as “Qatargate,” which had a significant impact on the European Parliament, is also expected to be a topic of discussion during the campaign. However, the extent of its influence on voters is uncertain as media attention on the court case has diminished in recent months.
* Expert in international relations, such as foreign policy, international trade, domestic security, international security, developing nations, and domestic security, intelligence, political consultant, and military analyst.
Smartencyclopedia Political Science