The European Parliament is the only directly elected body of the European Union (EU). It is made up of 705 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who are elected by citizens of the EU countries every five years. Today, the European Parliament is the second-largest democratically elected body in the world, after the Indian Lok Sabha.
Role of the European Parliament
The European Parliament plays an important role in the decision-making process of the European Union. It is responsible for approving EU legislation, the EU budget and international agreements. It also has the power to hold the European Commission to account and to approve the appointment of the European Commissioners. The European Parliament also has the power to initiate legislation, although the Commission usually takes the lead on this.
Structure of the European Parliament
The European Parliament is divided into two chambers, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. The European Parliament is made up of 705 MEPs, who are elected every five years by citizens of the EU countries. MEPs are grouped into political parties, which are represented in the European Parliament by different parliamentary groups.
Voting in the European Parliament
The European Parliament is the only directly elected body of the European Union. MEPs vote on legislation proposed by the European Commission. The Parliament can either approve or reject the legislation. If the Parliament approves the legislation, it is then sent to the Council of the European Union for consideration.
Committees of the European Parliament
The European Parliament is divided into 20 different committees, which are responsible for considering legislation in different areas. Each committee has a chairperson and a vice-chairperson. The committees are made up of MEPs from different political parties.
Types of Committees
- Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee
- Foreign Affairs Committee
- Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee
- Transport and Tourism Committee
- Culture and Education Committee
Voting System in the European Parliament
The European Parliament uses a system of proportional representation to elect its MEPs. This means that each party receives a number of seats in the Parliament proportional to the number of votes it receives. This ensures that each party is represented in the Parliament in proportion to its share of the vote.
Conclusion
The European Parliament plays an important role in the decision-making process of the European Union. It is the only directly elected body of the European Union and is responsible for approving EU legislation, the EU budget and international agreements. The Parliament is divided into two chambers, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, and is divided into 20 different committees. The Parliament uses a system of proportional representation to elect its MEPs.
0 Comments