Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/294639
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 APRIL 2014 15 more radi- cal parties, such as H u n g a r y ' s Jobbik or the Brit- ish National Party from joining the group. No member parties, instead it is made up of individual members Key parties – Individual mem- bers include Marine Le Pen (France – National Front) and Philip Claeys (Belgium – Flemish Interest) Alliance of European National Movements The European far-right grouping, the AENM was formed in Budapest, Hungary by a number of nationalist parties and national movements from various countries in Europe. AEMN dedicates its political activities "to protect and nurture the diversity of cultures, traditions and languages in a Europe of free, independent and equal nations, in the framework of a confed- eration of sovereign nation states." Number of member parties – 8 Key parties – Jobbik (Hun- gary); British National Party (United King- dom) European Christian Political Movement The European Christian Political Movement (ECPM) is a political asso- ciation of Christian-democratic par- ties and organisations that focuses on marriage, human trafficking and sex trade, sustainable entrepreneurship and economy, family, and freedom of faith, conscience and expression. It has two MEPs. Number of member parties – 18 Key parties – Christian Union (Netherlands); Christian People's Al- liance (United Kingdom) EU Democrats The eurosceptic EUD is a pan- European alliance of EU critics and opponents of EU membership that opposes further centralization of power to Brussels and wants pow- ers transferred back to national and regional parliaments and decisions taken as close as possible to the citizens. "Increased transparency, accountability, subsidiarity and ef- fective democratic control within the EU is our goal." Number of member parties – 11 plus a number of individual parlia- mentarians Key parties – People's Movement Against the EU (Denmark); June List (Sweden) For the third time in 10 years, Maltese voters will be called to cast their vote to choose their representatives in the European Parliament on 24 May. With 400 million voters out of a population of 500 million across 28 countries eligible to vote, the May elections are unique in global terms. However, many European citizens view the EU as a distant and ineffectual bloc and often hold the European Parliament and the rest of the European Union institutions in contempt. Participation is the greatest concern of MEPs and parties across the continent ahead of the elections, which will take place between 22 and 25 May, the eighth one since direct voting began in 1979. Turnout has been falling steadily since then, indicating growing apathy despite the Parliament's increase in power. Five years ago, the overall turnout was at 43%, down from 45.5% in 2004. The decision to strengthen the powers of the European Parliament in the election process for Presidents of the European Commission and European Parliament elections was intended to increase the institution's relevance and encourage a higher turnout. Why is voter turnout low? A recent Eurobarometer survey found that 84% of Europeans think the turnout would increase if they had more information about the EU's impact on their daily lives, and about parties' programmes. Furthermore, 73% of respondents said that they would be more likely to vote if they had more information about candidates' political affiliations, while 62% believe that having party-affiliated candidates for Commission president and voting held throughout Europe on the same day would increase turnout. What powers does parliament have? In principle, MEPs are the EU's lawmakers and without their input and approval, most EU laws cannot come into being. The parliament amends, approves or rejects EU laws, together with the Council of Ministers, made up of the 28 national governments. The process of "co-decision" - by which a law is only passed when approved by both bodies - applies in areas including consumer protection, the single market, workers' rights, asylum and immigration, the environment and animal welfare. With the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, Parliament gained real power over the final important policy areas - notably agriculture and civil liberties - in which it had previously only had a consultative role. The parliament also shares authority over the EU budget with the Council of Ministers and supervises other EU institutions, including the EU's executive body, the European Commission. It vets new commissioners and can sack the commission en masse. The Parliament also elects the European Ombudsman and holds hearings with candidates for the President and Board members of European Central Bank, the Court of Auditors and various EU agencies. Will its powers be enhanced? For the first time in the EU history, the outcome of the 2014 elections will determine who leads the Commission. After May's election, EU leaders will propose a candidate to be the next Commission president. Under EU rules, they must take into account the election results in making their nomination and parliament must approve it by a majority. Candidates for the remaining Commission portfolios will also have to pass a tough parliamentary vetting process before they can take office. Who are people voting for? Candidates run under national political colours, however if elected, they represent their pan-European parties. Labour Party candidates elected in Malta will represent the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and likewise, the Nationalist Party and Alternattiva Demokratika candidates would represent the European People's Party (EPP) and The Greens–European Free Alliance respectively. Parliament rules mean bigger groups get more money and more committee chairmanships, as well as more sway in deciding legislation, meaning that people with differing views still flock together. A minimum of 25 MEPs, from at least seven EU countries, is needed to form a group. The EPP and S&D are likely to remain the largest groupings, however the eurosceptic and right-wing parties which are expected to cause a political earthquake across Europe. Europe 2014 The European Parliament in numbers… 2 – the number of seats where the European Parliament meets. Each year, 12 plenary sessions are held at the Parliament's official seat in Strasbourg, while all other sessions and committee meetings are held in Brussels. 22 – the number of standing committees consisting of 28 to 86 MEPs each, reflecting the political composition of the EP. Committees include a chairman, a bureau and secretariat. Committees meet twice a month in public to draw up, amend and adopt legislative proposals and reports to be presented to the plenary 24 – the number of official languages spoken in the European Parliament, making it the most multilingual parliament in the world and the biggest employer of interpreters in the world (350 full-time and 400 freelance interpreters) 30 – the number of seconds it takes for all MEPs to register their vote in the EP 6,000 – the number of relocation boxes better known as "cantines" which are needed to store documents. Once a month, the black plastic trunks, brimming with transcripts, strategy papers and draft laws, are loaded on 8 trucks as MEPs make the 430 kilometers trip between Brussels and Strasbourg 1.5 billion – the cost in Euros footed by European tax payers to fund the European Parliament 766 – the number of MEPs in the current legislature, however following the May elections the number will be reduces to 751 4,123 – the number of assistants employed by MEPs 180 million – the cost in Euros of holding a monthly session in Strasbourg 6,000 – the number of officials and other staff employed by the EP, including lawyers, linguists, interpreters, translators, assistants, secretaries etc. 6 – the number of Maltese MEPs