Documenten - Think Tank - Europees Parlement

Briefing - Termination of the mandate of a Member of the European �Ϸ��վ - 21-01-2025

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 23:00:00 GMT

The European Union counts representative democracy as one of its foundational tenets. In that regard, the mandate of a directly elected Member of the European �Ϸ��վ plays a crucial role. A Member's mandate includes an immunity status, protecting Members' independence to exercise their mandate freely. This legal status can prevent legal action, measures or even criminal investigation against the Member suspected of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, this parliamentary immunity is not an individual entitlement putting Members beyond the reach of the legal system, but rather an institutional privilege of the �Ϸ��վ. Members' parliamentary immunity is not however fully harmonised under EU law, which refers some aspects of parliamentary immunity to the Member States. The diverse national understanding of parliamentary immunity can significantly influence, among other things, when and how a Member's mandate might end. More specifically, national legal variations can affect criminal proceedings against a Member that, if leading to a conviction, represent the most obvious reason for the involuntary end of a Member's parliamentary mandate (termination of mandate) in many Member States. In addition to differing levels of parliamentary immunity, there are differences in the reasons allowed nationally for ending national parliamentary mandates. Since EU law permits Member States to apply their own reasons when terminating a Member's mandate, national laws come into play once again. To analyse this complex web of legal settings applying to the end of a Member's mandate and resulting from the combination of EU law and diverse national rules potentially applicable to Members by analogy, this briefing draws upon national responses to a survey carried out for the European Centre for �Ϸ��վary Research and Documentation.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2025 - EP

Kort overzicht - Unfinished business from the ninth term - 16-07-2024

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 22:00:00 GMT

The ninth parliamentary term formally ended on 15 July 2024, ahead of the constitutive part-session of the European �Ϸ��վ elected on 6-9 June 2024. Despite their best efforts, the co legislators had not reached agreement on a number of legislative proposals before the end of the ninth term. These will form a major part of the business that needs to be picked up again in the tenth term. To ensure continuity in its work, �Ϸ��վ has adopted rules on how to deal with unfinished files.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2024 - EP

Briefing - Understanding the d'Hondt method: Allocation of parliamentary seats and leadership positions - 05-07-2024

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 22:00:00 GMT

To allocate seats in collegiate bodies, such as parliaments, a method is needed to translate votes proportionally into whole seats. The d'Hondt method is a mathematical formula that is used widely in proportional representation systems, although it leads to less proportional results than other seat allocation systems, such as the Hare-Niemeyer or Sainte-Laguë/Schepers methods. Moreover, the d'Hondt method tends to favour the electoral lists that win the most votes, to the detriment of those with fewer votes. However, it is effective in facilitating majority formation and therefore in securing parliamentary operability. The d'Hondt method is used by 15 EU Member States for elections to the European �Ϸ��վ. It is also used within �Ϸ��վ as the formula for distributing the chairs of the parliamentary committees and delegations among the political groups, and among the national delegations within some political groups. This proportional distribution of leadership positions within �Ϸ��վ prevents the dominance of political life by just one or two large political groups, ensuring that smaller political groups also have a say in setting the political agenda. Some argue, however, that this approach limits the impact of election results on the political direction of decision-making within �Ϸ��վ; they would call instead for a 'winner-takes-all' strategy. Many national parliaments in the EU also distribute committee chairs and other posts proportionally among political groups, either using the d'Hondt method or through more informal means. Others apply a 'winner-takes-more' approach, reserving only certain committee chair posts with particular relevance to government scrutiny for opposition groups. In the US House of Representatives, all committee chairs are selected from the majority party. This updates a 2019 briefing, which itself updated a 2016 briefing by Eva-Maria Poptcheva.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2024 - EP

Studie - European �Ϸ��վ work in the fields of impact assessment and European added value - Activity Report for 2023 - 07-03-2024

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 11:46:44 GMT

This activity report summarises and explains the work undertaken by the European �Ϸ��վ in the fields of impact assessment and European added value between January and December 2023. It details the support given by the Directorate for Impact Assessment and Foresight within the European �Ϸ��վary Research Service (EPRS) to assist parliamentary committees in their oversight and scrutiny of the executive in the fields of ex-ante impact assessment, European added value, and ex post evaluation of EU law and policy in practice. It also outlines the wider horizontal support offered to the institution as a whole with regard to the policy cycle. During the 12 months under review, the Directorate published 120 substantive pieces of work, all of which can be accessed via hyperlinks in this report.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2024 - EP

Kort overzicht - Argentina: Outcome of the 2023 elections – Beginning of a new era? - 27-11-2023

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 23:00:00 GMT

In the run-off election on 19 November 2023, Argentinians elected right-wing populist Javier Milei, aged 53, as the country's new president. Four weeks earlier, on 22 October 2023, general elections had taken place to elect the president, vice-president, members of the national congress and the governors of most provinces. Following the primaries of 13 August 2023, to the great surprise of all experts, anti-establishment candidate Javier Milei, leader and founder of the La Libertad Avanza party, entered the presidential race as the favourite. Milei was unable to maintain his leading position in the elections on 22 October and was overtaken by Economy Minister Sergio Massa. Massa was running for the Unión por la Patria, a centre-left coalition of Peronist political parties that have dominated Argentine politics for decades. However, in the run-off election Milei won 55.7 % of the votes, while Massa received 44.3 %. Many commentators compare the self-proclaimed 'anarcho-capitalist' to former US President Donald Trump and former President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2023 - EP

Briefing - PETI Fact-finding visit to Donegal, Ireland - 30 October - 1 November 2023 - 30-10-2023

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 23:00:00 GMT

This Briefing, written by the European �Ϸ��վ’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the Committee on Petitions (PETI), provides background information for the PETI Fact-finding visit to Donegal, Ireland, scheduled from 30 October to 1 November 2023. It investigates the issue of petitions 0789/2021, 0790/2021, 0799/2021, 0800/2021, 0801/2021, 0813/2021, 0814/2021 and 0837/2021 which raise concerns about the defective quality of certain building concrete blocks due to the presence of mica in breach of EU legislation in Ireland, affecting thousands of homeowners.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2023 - EP

Uitgebreide analyse - The six policy priorities of the von der Leyen Commission: State of play in autumn 2023 - 07-09-2023

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 22:00:00 GMT

This EPRS paper analyses progress made in carrying through the policy agenda set by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and her College of Commissioners when they took office in December 2019. It looks in particular at the state of play with respect to delivery of the agenda's six key priorities, as we enter the final months running up to the 2024 European elections. The von der Leyen Commission – either on taking office or more recently – has announced a total of 610 planned initiatives. In concrete terms, EPRS finds that more than two thirds (420) have now been submitted and, for those which are legislative proposals, the co-legislators have started work. Of the 420, more than half (221) have already been adopted by the co-legislators, or, for the non-legislative initiatives (such as strategies, action plans and other communications, amounting to nearly one fifth of the total), by the Commission itself. The vast majority of the remainder are either close to adoption (26) or proceeding normally through the legislative process (141). On the other hand, almost one sixth are moving slowly or are blocked (32). While the Commission's first priority – the European Green Deal – ranks highest in terms of the number of initiatives planned (154), the second, fourth and fifth priorities – 'A Europe fit for the digital age', 'A stronger Europe in the world', and 'Promoting our European way of life' – have higher rates of initiatives actually adopted so far (more than half for the second and fifth, almost three quarters for the fourth, largely due, for the latter, to its less legislative nature).

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2023 - EP

Studie - A comparative analysis of financial disclosure obligations on members of parliaments: Strengthening integrity, independence and accountability in the European �Ϸ��վ - 26-05-2023

Thu, 25 May 2023 22:00:00 GMT

In the context of on-going discussions to strengthen the European �Ϸ��վ's integrity, independence and accountability, this is one in a set of publications in which the European �Ϸ��վary Research Service will analyse relevant international and European standards relating to parliamentary ethics, as well as the rules and practices put in place in selected EU Member States to promote the principles of transparency, accountability and integrity within their national parliaments. Various international organisations consider financial disclosure to be a key tool in preventing and addressing corruption and conflicts of interest among parliamentarians. This paper compares financial disclosure obligations in national parliaments around the world, including in the European Union; and then examines the various proposals that have already been put forward in the European �Ϸ��վ to modify the current reporting obligations imposed on its Members.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2023 - EP

Uitgebreide analyse - Committees of inquiry in the European �Ϸ��վ - 26-05-2023

Thu, 25 May 2023 22:00:00 GMT

�Ϸ��վ has been trying to strengthen its powers to conduct in-depth investigations into contraventions or maladministration in the implementation of European Union law since 2012, but has so far failed to gain the consent of the Commission or the Council for the modification of the legal framework applicable to its committees of inquiry. These powers were also discussed as part of the Conference on the Future of Europe. This paper updates a 2021 EPRS publication on the European �Ϸ��վ's committees of inquiry and special committees. It offers an overview of the legal framework currently applicable to the �Ϸ��վ's committees of inquiry and gives an insight into the proposal put forward by �Ϸ��վ in 2012 to modify that legal framework, and the subsequent negotiations with the other institutions. It presents the different types of inquiry that can be dealt with by �Ϸ��վ's inquiry committees, the investigative powers granted to them, and the types of inquiry that can be dealt with by special and standing committees of the European �Ϸ��վ.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2023 - EP

Briefing - Europees Parlement: feiten en cijfers - 11-03-2022

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 23:00:00 GMT

Deze briefing, die door de Onderzoeksdienst van het Europees Parlement (EP) is gepubliceerd, heeft tot doel belangrijke feiten en cijfers te verstrekken over het Europees Parlement. Zowel de huidige zittingsperiode (juli 2019 tot juni 2024) als de acht voorgaande vijfjarige zittingsperioden sinds de invoering van rechtstreekse verkiezingen in juni 1979 komen aan bod. Op de volgende bladzijden zult u allerlei grafieken aantreffen over: • de huidige en vroegere samenstelling van het Europees Parlement; • het toegenomen aantal partijen dat vertegenwoordigd is in het Parlement en de ontwikkeling van de fracties; • de leeftijd van de leden en het stijgende aantal vrouwen dat in het Parlement zetelt; • de kiesstelsels die in de verschillende lidstaten worden gebruikt voor de verkiezingen van het Parlement; • de evolutie in de opkomst bij de Europese verkiezingen en de verschillen per lidstaat; • de werkzaamheden van het Parlement in de huidige zittingsperiode en de vorige vijfjarige zittingsperioden; • de samenstelling van de commissies, delegaties en bestuursorganen van het Parlement; • de wetgevende rol van het Parlement en zijn interactie met de Europese Commissie. De briefing wordt in de zittingsperiode 2019‑2024 regelmatig bijgewerkt om de meest recente ontwikkelingen erin te verwerken.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2022 - EP

Briefing - Role and election of the President of the European Council: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - 10-03-2022

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 15:36:18 GMT

The first term of Charles Michel, the incumbent European Council President comes to an end on 31 May 2022. Based on previous examples, the (re-)election of the European Council President for the period July 2022 to November 2024 is expected to be taken at the last formal European Council meeting before the end of the current mandate. This briefing provides answers to some of the most Frequently Asked Questions regarding the office of European Council President, notably the role of the position and the election process. It also provides concrete examples from the mandates of the three different office holders to date.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2022 - EP

Studie - Handbook on the incompatibilities and immunity of the Members of the European �Ϸ��վ - 31-12-2021

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 23:00:00 GMT

Upon request by the Committee on Legal Affairs, this handbook, provided by the Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs, summarises, in its first part, the EU legal framework on the incompatibilities and immunity of Members of the European �Ϸ��վ. Based on national reports, the second part of the handbook gives an overview, for each EU Member State, of the relevant national provisions on the composition of national governments and parliaments as well as those on national parliamentary immunities. This handbook will be updated regularly based on information received; please hold as reference the date of edition.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2021 - EP

Briefing - Europees Parlement: feiten en cijfers - 21-10-2021

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 22:00:00 GMT

Deze briefing, die door de Onderzoeksdienst van het Europees Parlement (EP) is gepubliceerd, heeft tot doel belangrijke feiten en cijfers te verstrekken over het Europees Parlement. Zowel de huidige zittingsperiode (juli 2019 tot juni 2024) als de acht voorgaande vijfjarige zittingsperioden sinds de invoering van rechtstreekse verkiezingen in juni 1979 komen aan bod. Op de volgende bladzijden zult u allerlei grafieken aantreffen over: * de huidige en vroegere samenstelling van het Europees Parlement; * het toegenomen aantal partijen dat vertegenwoordigd is in het Parlement en de ontwikkeling van de fracties; * de leeftijd van de leden en het stijgende aantal vrouwen dat in het Parlement zetelt; * de kiesstelsels die in de verschillende lidstaten worden gebruikt voor de verkiezingen van het Parlement; * de evolutie in de opkomst bij de Europese verkiezingen en de verschillen per lidstaat; * de werkzaamheden van het Parlement in de huidige zittingsperiode en de vorige vijfjarige zittingsperioden; * de samenstelling van de commissies, delegaties en bestuursorganen van het Parlement; * de wetgevende rol van het Parlement en zijn interactie met de Europese Commissie. De briefing wordt in de zittingsperiode 2019-2024 regelmatig bijgewerkt om de meest recente ontwikkelingen erin te verwerken.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2021 - EP

Kort overzicht - Constitutional and political change in Russia - 07-02-2020

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 23:00:00 GMT

In January 2020, Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping constitutional amendments. These have been widely seen as preparing the way for him to retain political influence after the end of his fourth and probably final presidency in 2024. Putin's announcement was followed by the resignation of the government. Dmitry Medvedev, who has been Prime Minister since 2012, has made way for Mikhail Mishustin. While these changes open up new possibilities for Putin's post-2024 future, his actual intentions are still unclear.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2020 - EP

Kort overzicht - Continuation of work in progress from last term - 28-06-2019

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 12:56:07 GMT

With European elections held on 23-26 May 2019, the eighth parliamentary term formally ends on 1 July 2019, a day before the constituent part-session of the newly elected �Ϸ��վ. Despite the efforts of the co-legislators, agreement could not be found on a number of legislative proposals before the end of the parliamentary term, and these form a major part of the business that needs to be picked up again in the new term. In order to ensure continuity in its work, therefore, �Ϸ��վ has adopted rules on how to deal with unfinished files.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2019 - EP

Uitgebreide analyse - The power of the European �Ϸ��վ: Examples of EP impact during the 2014-19 legislative term - 30-04-2019

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 11:55:12 GMT

As the only European Union institution elected directly, the European �Ϸ��վ is at the heart of representative democracy, the foundation upon which the EU is built. Since its creation, the �Ϸ��վ’s powers have evolved significantly, transforming it into a full-fledged legislative body and forum of discussion and engagement, whose influence is felt in virtually all areas of EU activity. This paper provides an overview of the European �Ϸ��վ's main powers, demonstrating how they interact, and illustrating through practical examples from the most recent parliamentary term (2014-2019) the various ways in which the �Ϸ��վ uses those powers in its daily work.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2019 - EP

Studie - Provisions governing the activity of high political office-holders in election or selection processes: A comparative analysis of the provisions and practices in the EU, its Member States and selected international organisations - 16-02-2017

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 17:40:35 GMT

In its resolution of 28 April 2016 on the discharge procedure for the year 2014, the European �Ϸ��վ instructed the European �Ϸ��վary Research Service to undertake a study including 'a comparative analysis of the legal framework governing the compatibilities of candidates who run for election campaigns in other international organisations and in the Member States (election of prime minister, secretary general, chancellor, etc.)'. This study therefore examines relevant rules on the use of public resources by high political office-holders in electoral/selection processes at EU, international and EU Member State level. An initial version of this study was delivered to the Members of the Committee on Budgetary Control in October 2016. This revised version incorporates some minor changes following final verifications. Nonetheless, the information in this study does not reflect any further possible recent changes in any individual Member State.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2017 - EP

Briefing - Democracy in Africa: Power alternation and presidential term limits - 04-04-2016

Mon, 04 Apr 2016 12:27:00 GMT

The democratic landscape in Africa is complex, featuring a mixture of examples of progress, in some areas, and regression in others. While some countries have continuously come closer to high democratic standards, considerably strengthening their democratic systems, others have seen their democratic credentials worsen. A pervasive feature of political systems on the African continent has been the fact that the incumbent presidents and ruling parties tend to win elections, whether fair or not. Since independence, few African states have experienced transfer of presidential and parliamentary power as a result of elections. At the beginning of the 1990s, during the democratisation wave that swept the continent, most African countries introduced constitutional term limits for their presidents. However, ultimately many of these limits were short-lived, as the leaders who initiated them were often themselves later responsible for spearheading constitutional amendments in order to extend their position in power. In several cases, strong opposition from civil society, but also from political actors, was successful in upholding constitutional rules. In others, however, popular opposition was repressed and the will of the heads of state concerned prevailed, sometimes at the cost of prolonged turmoil. In this context the question arises: how essential and useful to democracy are presidential term limits? While the US under the Obama administration has been vocal in defending term limits in Africa, the EU has not taken sides on the issue as such, focusing instead on the respect of constitutional processes when revisions occur.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2016 - EP

Kort overzicht - Constitutional referendum in Senegal - Shorter presidential term: a half-kept promise - 11-03-2016

Fri, 11 Mar 2016 11:35:00 GMT

President Macky Sall decided to put constitutional changes to a referendum on 20 March 2016. The proposal includes a reduction of the presidential term length from seven to five years. Nevertheless President Sall, following the Constitutional Council's opinion, declared the reduction could not apply to his current mandate: he would thus stay in office until 2019, contrary to a promise he made when he was elected. While Sall's supporters hailed his sense of responsibility, opponents denounced this decision as a political manoeuvre to backtrack on his commitment.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2016 - EP

Uitgebreide analyse - Electoral Gender Quota Systems and their Implementation in Europe - 14-06-2013

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:17:48 GMT

The note is an updated version of the 2011 study Electoral Gender Quotas and Their Implementation in Europe (PE 408.309), and it maps the diffusion of electoral gender quotas in the 30 EU/EEA countries and evaluates the effectiveness of different quota types in different electoral systems. The note shows that legislated quotas are implemented in eight countries and party quotas in 14 (additional) countries. It also shows that some gender quotas have resulted in major leaps in women’s representation, while others had led to almost no change. In general, the note reveals a mixed picture in Europe when it comes to women’s representation. It shows that women’s parliamentary representation only increased from 23.6 per cent in 2008 to 24.7 per cent in 2011 to 25.6 per cent in 2013. In the most recent parliamentary election in 19 of the countries as well as in the election to the European �Ϸ��վ women’s representation increased. Four countries experienced stagnation, and in seven of the countries women’s share of the MPs dropped.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2013 - EP

Studie - Independent Candidates in National and European Elections - 15-04-2013

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:15:54 GMT

Independent candidates remain marginal vote-getters in the vast majority of elections in which they compete. However, they do regularly win seats in legislative assemblies in a number of European countries, and occasionally achieve surprise victories in others. Half of the EU member states currently grant ballot access to independents in national legislative elections, while only a quarter of member states allow non-party candidates in European �Ϸ��վ elections. Ballot access requirements for independents vary widely across EU-27 but tend to be more stringent for European elections than for national elections. Independent candidates perform better in systems with plurality rule or preferential voting compared to party-list PR systems. They win seats in single-member districts and low-magnitude multi-member districts. Although independents are expected to benefit from electoral rules that make politics more candidate-centered, the performance of non-party candidates does not depend on the modality of lists (open or closed). The vote for independents has elements of a protest vote. Voters who vote for independent candidates tend to be more critical of the government and less satisfied with the way democracy works in their country than party-voters. They are also less likely to feel close to any political party. When independent candidates are elected to office, they frequently join parties and parliamentary party groups. Thus, independence is often not a principled position but a temporary status resulting from circumstantial choices made by individuals competing for political office.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 2013 - EP

Studie - National Provisions Regarding the Early Termination of �Ϸ��վary Office - 15-07-1998

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:11:52 GMT

The first part relates to Members of national parliaments. In addition, to an outline of the reasons allowed under national law for the early termination of office, particular attention is devoted to the procedure followed in the event of resignation and the date on which the resignation takes effect. This is followed by a description of the proceduress relating to the replacement of national MPs whose office terminagtes during a parliamentary term. Lastly, where the system provides for such an MP to be replaced by the best placed non-elected candidate on the electoral list, it was enquired whether that candidate is able to ask to be removed from the list or, in other terms, to stand down if he no longer wishes to take his seat in parliament. These latter aspects are also the subject of the second part of the study, which is concerned in particular with the national provisions applicable to the replacement of MEPs whose office comes to an end during a parliamentary term.

Bron : © Europese Unie, 1998 - EP