1、CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress The 2014 European Parliament Elections: Outcomes and Implications Updated July 24, 2014 Political Context Between May 22-25, 2014, the 28 member states of the European Union (EU) held elections for the next European Parliament (EP), a key i
2、nstitution that represents the citizens of the EU countries. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) serve five-year terms. The new EP, which began work on July 1, 2014, has 751 MEPs from 186 national parties (for background, see CRS Report RS21998, The European Parliament). The recent EP election
3、s are notable for several reasons. They were the first since the entrance into force of the EUs Lisbon Treaty in December 2009, which increased the power of the EP. The Treaty also explicitly links the EP elections to the selection of the next President of the European Commission (the EUs executive)
4、. Although the leaders of the member states still decide on the next Commission President, the treaty now requires that they take into account the results of the EP elections. Thus, for the first time, five of the EPs main political groups nominated candidates for Commission President. Additionally,
