The public debate on pan-European (or, in Brussels jargon, “transnational”) European election lists has become a little quieter over the past year. After being rejected by a majority in the European Parliament at the beginning of 2018, the proposal initially disappeared from the immediate agenda. However, this is not the last word. Most pro-European parties in Parliament – Social Democrats, Liberals, and Greens – are quite clear in their support for pan-European lists, and the hitherto sceptical European People’s Party could also adjust its position to save the top candidate.
On the blog “Der (europäische) Föderalist”, IEP Senior Researcher Manuel Müller analyses the possibilities for transnational lists in European Parliament elections: Should they be long or short, open or closed? Who should be allowed to nominate candidates? Should voters have one or two votes, and should the transnational seats be offset against the national seat quotas? The article provides an overview of different options and their advantages and disadvantages.
Read more here.
