European Parliament (EP) Elections, 2013

Electoral System
Austria Austria has 18 seats in the European Parliament. The electoral system for EP elections is, as
National Council elections, rooted in proportional representation. However, there is one im-
portant distinction: Whereas the country is divided into regions and provinces and votes are
counted on different stages in the elections organized for the National Council, EP elections
utilize the whole country as one nation-wide electoral district and all seats are distributed at this
level. Finally, the D’Hondt electoral formula is utilized for the purpose of distributing EP seats,
the threshold for representation is set to 4%.
Belgium Belgium elects 24 representatives to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based
on proportional representation. For administrative purposes Belgium comprises three electoral
districts for these elections. The D’Hondt formula is used and there is no legal threshold of rep-
resentation. The party lists are closed but non-blocked. Hence, voters are provided with the
opportunity of overruling the party ranking of candidates. In 1994, Belgium introduced a guaran-
teed seat for the German minority.
Cyprus Cyprus elects 6 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on pro-
portional representation. Cyprus comprises one national electoral district for these elections.
The Hare electoral formula is utilized and the legal threshold is set to 1.8%. Party lists are
closed and non-blocked, thus enabling voters to express preferences among the candidates
belonging to the party list of their choice.
Czech Republic The Czech Republic elects 22 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is
based on proportional representation. The Czech Republic comprises one national electoral
district for these elections. The D’Hondt electoral formula is utilized and the legal threshold is
set to 5%. Party lists are closed and non-blocked, meaning that voters are enabled to express
preferences for a certain candidate on their favoured party list.
Denmark Denmark elects 13 representatives to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based
on proportional representation. Denmark comprises one electoral district. The D’Hondt formula
is used and there is no legal threshold of representation. The party lists are closed but non-
blocked. Hence, voters are provided with the opportunity of overruling the party ranking of can-
didates. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are not part of the EU and do therefore not partici-
pate in the EP elections.
Estonia Estonia elects 6 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on pro-
portional representation. Estonia comprises one national electoral district for these elections.
The D’Hondt electoral formula is utilized and there is no legal threshold. Party lists are closed
and blocked, meaning that voters do not have any opportunity to express interests for any par-
ticular candidate.
Finland Finland elects 13 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on pro-
portional representation. Finland comprises one national electoral district for these elections.
Similar to national parliamentary elections, the D’Hondt formula is utilized and there is no legal
threshold, and a voter gives his/her vote directly to a candidate, and votes are then pooled to
parties.
France France elects 72 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on pro-
portional representation. In 1994 and 1999, France comprised one electoral district and the
threshold was set to 5% at national level. The electoral system was changed prior to the 2004
election. Now France comprises 8 electoral regions. District magnitude varies between 3 and
14 and the Hare and the D’Hondt formula are both utilized. The legal threshold is still set to 5%
but it is now applied at the level of the electoral regions. Party lists are closed and blocked,
meaning that voters do not have any opportunity to express interests for any particular candi-
date.
Germany Germany elects 99 representatives to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based
on proportional representation. Germany comprises one national electoral district for these
elections. The Hare-Niemeyer electoral formula, known to favour small parties, is utilized and
the legal threshold is set to 5%. Party lists are closed and blocked, meaning that voters do not
have any influence on the actual candidates representing their country.
Greece Greece elects 22 members to the European Parliament (down from 24 in 2004). The electoral
system is based on proportional representation. Greece comprises one national electoral dis-
trict for these elections. The Droop/largest remainder is utilized. Similar to national parliamen-
tary elections, the legal threshold is set to 3% (since 1994). Party lists are closed and blocked,
meaning that voters do not have any influence on the actual individuals representing their coun-
try.
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European Parliament (EP) Elections, 2013

Electoral System
Hungary Hungary elects 22 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on
proportional representation. Hungary comprises one national electoral district for these elec-
tions. The D’Hondt electoral formula is utilized and the legal threshold is set to 5%. Party lists
are closed and blocked, meaning that voters do not have any opportunity to express interests
for any particular candidate.
Ireland Ireland elects 12 representatives to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on
single transferable vote and Irish voters thus directly vote for persons representing their country
in the European Parliament. Ireland comprises four to five national electoral districts for these
elections, which do not correspond with the NUTS structure.
Italy Italy elects 72 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on propor-
tional representation. Italy comprises one national electoral district for these elections. The
Hare electoral formula is utilized and there is no legal threshold. Party lists are closed and non-
blocked thus enabling voters to express preferences among the candidates belonging to the
party list of their choice.
Latvia Latvia elects 8 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on propor-
tional representation. Latvia comprises one national electoral district for these elections. The St.
Laguë electoral formula is utilized and there is no legal threshold. Party lists are closed and
non-blocked as voters are entitled to vote each candidate on the party list of their choice up (+)
and down (-).
Lithuania Lithuania elects 12 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on
proportional representation. Lithuania comprises one national electoral district for these elec-
tions. The D’Hondt/ largest remainder electoral formula is utilized and the legal threshold is set
to 5%. Party lists are closed and non-blocked, hence, voters are provided with the opportunity
of overruling the party ranking of candidates.
Luxembourg Luxembourg elects 6 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on
proportional representation. Luxembourg comprises one national electoral district for these
elections. The Droop/ D’Hondt electoral formula is utilized and the there is no legal threshold.
Luxembourg is the only EU member country where lists are open and voters can choose
among all candidates of the different party lists and cast as many votes as seats to be distribut-
ed.
Malta Malta elects five members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on single
transferable vote. Malta comprises one national electoral district for these elections. The STV-
Droop electoral formula. Ballots are, by virtue of the STV electoral system, open and preferen-
tial. Thus, voters’ rank-order the candidates participating in the election and can choose freely
among candidates belonging to different parties.
Netherlands The Netherlands elects 25 representatives to the European Parliament. The electoral system is
based on proportional representation. The Netherlands comprises one electoral district. The
Hare/D’Hondt formula is used and there is no legal threshold of representation. The party lists
are closed but non-blocked. Hence, voters are provided with the opportunity of overruling the
party ranking of candidates.
Poland Poland elects 50 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on pro-
portional representation. Poland comprises one national electoral district for these elections.
The D’Hondt electoral formula is utilized and the legal threshold is set to 5%. Party lists are
closed and blocked, meaning that voters do not have any opportunity to express interests for
any particular candidate.
Portugal Portugal elects 22 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on
proportional representation. Portugal comprises one national electoral district for these elec-
tions. The D’Hondt electoral formula is utilized and there is no legal threshold. Party lists are
closed and blocked, meaning that voters do not have any influence on the actual persons rep-
resenting their country.
Romania Romania currently (2009) elects 33 MP's to the European Parliament. On 1 January 2007, as
the country joined the European Union, 35 members were nominated by the national parliament
and served until the 2009 EP elections were held.

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European Parliament (EP) Elections, 2013

Electoral System
Slovak Republic Slovakia elects 13 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on
proportional representation. Slovakia comprises one national electoral district for these elec-
tions. The Droop (largest reminder) electoral formula is utilized and the legal threshold is set to
5%. Party lists are closed and non-blocked, meaning that voters are enabled to express prefer-
ences for a certain candidate on their favoured party list.
Slovenia Slovenia elects 7 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on pro-
portional representation. Slovenia comprises one national electoral district for these elections.
The D’Hondt electoral formula is utilized and there is no legal threshold. Party lists are closed
and non-blocked, meaning that voters are enabled to express preferences for a certain candi-
date on their favoured party list.
Spain Spain elects 50 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on pro-
portional representation. Spain comprises one national electoral district for these elections. The
D’Hondt electoral formula is utilized and there is no legal threshold. Party lists are closed and
blocked, meaning that voters do not have any influence on the actual persons representing
their country.
Sweden Sweden elects 18 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on
proportional representation. Sweden comprises one national electoral district for these elec-
tions. Similar to national parliamentary elections, the modified St. Laguë formula is utilized and
the legal threshold is set to 4%. Party lists are closed but non-blocked. Hence, voters may ex-
press preferences for a certain candidate on their favoured party list. The required threshold for
election on the basis of personal vote in EP elections is 5%.
United Kingdom Great Britain and Northern Ireland have separate electoral systems for EP-elections. Great
Britain elects 72 members to the European Parliament. The electoral system is based on pro-
portional representation. Great Britain comprises 11 electoral districts for these elections. The
D’Hondt electoral formula is utilized and there is no legal threshold. Party lists are closed and
blocked, meaning that voters do not have any opportunity to express interests for any particular
candidate. Prior to 1999 the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system applied in Great Britain.
It was changed in order to make PR the common principle of all EU member states for EP elec-
tions.
For the purpose of the European Parliament elections Northern Ireland is treated as a single
constituency. The electoral system is based on single transferable vote and voters thus directly
votes for persons representing their country in the European Parliament. Three members are
being returned as Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). There is no legal threshold.
Source: European Election Database, 2013, available at
http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/, accessed 25/06/2013.

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