European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU). Together with the Council of the European Union (the Council) and the European Commission, it forms the legislative branch of the EU’s institutions. Its 705 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are directly elected by EU citizens every five years.
The Parliament is the only directly elected body of the EU and has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world. Its seat is in Strasbourg, but most of its work is carried out in Brussels and Luxembourg City. It is also bicameral, with a chamber for the European Council and a chamber for the Council of the European Union.
History of the European Parliament
The European Parliament was first established in 1952 as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community. It was initially composed of delegates from the national parliaments of the member states. In 1979, direct elections to the European Parliament were held for the first time, and since then it has been elected every five years.
The Parliament has grown in power and influence over the years, and in 2009 it was given additional powers under the Lisbon Treaty. These include the power to approve or reject legislation proposed by the European Commission, the power to approve or reject international agreements negotiated by the EU, and the power to approve or reject the budget proposed by the European Commission.
Functions of the European Parliament
The European Parliament has a number of important functions. These include:
- Legislative: The Parliament has the power to approve or reject legislation proposed by the European Commission. It can also initiate its own legislation, which must then be approved by the Council of the European Union.
- Budgetary: The Parliament has the power to approve or reject the annual budget proposed by the European Commission.
- Supervisory: The Parliament has the power to hold the European Commission and other EU institutions to account, and to investigate their activities.
- Representative: The Parliament is the only directly elected EU institution and serves as a representative of the interests of EU citizens.
Structure of the European Parliament
The European Parliament is made up of 705 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from all 28 EU member states. MEPs are elected in elections held every five years. Each member state is allocated a number of seats in the Parliament, based on its population.
The Parliament is divided into two chambers. The first is the European Council, which is composed of the heads of state or government of each EU member state. The second is the Council of the European Union, which is composed of representatives from each member state.
Political Groups in the European Parliament
MEPs are organised into political groups according to their political affiliations. The largest political group is the European People’s Party (EPP), which is a centre-right group that includes the governing parties of many EU countries. The second largest group is the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), which is a centre-left group. Other political groups include the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), the Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) and the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD).
Conclusion
The European Parliament is the only directly elected body of the EU and plays an important role in the legislative, budgetary and representative functions of the EU. It is made up of 705 MEPs from all 28 EU member states, who are organised into political groups according to their political affiliations. The Parliament has grown in power and influence over the years and is now one of the most powerful legislatures in the world.