European elections of 2004

The European elections 2004 were held 10 with the June 13rd 2004. The citizens of the European Union elected the 732 appointed of the the European Parliament - against 626 previously, to take account of widening with ten new Member States.

Each country chose the day of the election according to its rules and habits. The votes were on the other hand deducted simultaneously in the twenty-five Member States of the European Union, on June 13rd; the results were communicated on June 14th.

Some figures

The voters had the choice for on average a score of lists. There be approximately 15  000 candidates, 400 European lists, and 160 French lists, for approximately 343  657  800 voters.

These European elections are one of the greatest elections in the world, after those of the India.

Stakes

The stakes of the new Parliament are:

  1. the more important capacities which will be those of the Parliament elected in 2004;
  2. the agricultural policy;
  3. justice;
  4. businesses of police force in the Union.

The European Constitution added like tasks at the Parliament:

  • the role out of budgetary matter;
  • establishment of the absence of right on the receipts;
  • the fixing of half of the expenditure: 50 billion euros;
  • the role of budgetary control: control the European commission - to also see CoCoBu Committee on Budgetary Control.

As opposed to what could let think the electoral campaigns of certain parties, do not form a priori part of attributions of the Parliament:

  1. the entry of Turkey in the EU;
  2. national problems;
  3. the choice of the Constitution.

Note: The parties should logically be European, but are often national. Only one party proposed the same program on the scale of the Union: the Left Green European, whereas the other parties members of the the European Parliament see their formations presenting national plans.

Representation

The people having the right to vote were roughly 343  657  800 for these elections. The new Parliament will be composed of 732 appointed European coming from the twenty-five countries. The new countries chose to them repésentants for the first time. It was the greatest transnational direct election of the History.

Gibraltar was represented like part of the area England of South-west of the the United Kingdom. The elections coincided with the British elections of 2004 on June 10th, although the results of the election of the European Parliament were not announced before all the Member States did not vote.

The new distribution of the seats between the 25 Convention countries was determined by the Traité of Nice:

  • Germany: 99
  • Austria: 18
  • Belgium: 24
  • Cyprus: 6
  • Denmark: 14
  • Spain: 54
  • Estonia: 6
  • Finland: 14
  • France: 78
  • Greece: 24
  • Hungary: 24
  • Ireland: 13
  • Italy: 78
  • Latvia: 9
  • Lithuania: 13
  • Luxembourg: 6
  • Malta: 5
  • Netherlands: 27
  • Poland: 54
  • Portugal: 24
  • : 24
  • the United Kingdom: 78
  • Slovakia: 14
  • : 7
  • Sweden: 19

Groups:

Results

The distribution by parliamentary group is given only as an indication. The deputies had freedom to change group, at the time of the first parliamentary session of July 19th, 2004.

Methods of the elections

The deputies are elected by the universal direct suffrage according to ways of voting suitable for each State. The poll proceeds either within the framework of regional or interregional districts (Belgium, Italy, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France), or on the level of one only national district (Denmark, Spain, Luxembourg, Austria, Finland, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden), or still within the framework of an analog and digital system, as in Germany, where the candidates can present to the level one or more areas (Länder) or at the national level.

The general rule defined by the treaty of Amsterdam is the proportionality.

Germany

Way of voting in Germany

  • Representation proportional:
System of representation proportional with blocked lists. The parties or other political associations present either a list at the federal level (SPD, Verts, PDS, FDP), or of the lists at the level of Länder (CDU and CSU).
  • Distribution of the seats:
A party or a political association must collect at least 5% of the votes cast at the national level to obtain seats. The seats are allotted at the national level according to the Méthode Hare-Niemeyer.

Austria

Representation proportional at the national level. The voters must vote for a list and can also vote for such or such candidate on this list (preferential vote). Each voter lays out with one voice. Distribution of the seats: Method of Hondt. The distribution of the seats is done at the national level. Any list not having obtained at least 4  % of the total of the voices is excluded from the distribution of the seats. The seats are allotted according to the number of votes collected by each list.

Spain

Representation proportional at the national level (closed and blocked lists). Distribution of the voices: system of Hondt

France

Way of voting in France

The poll is carried out by lists with the representation proportional according to the rule of the strongest average, without mixing nor preferential vote, in only one turn, within the framework of eight large districts. These districts are seven for the metropolis, including/understanding one or more areas. The eighth gathers the departments, communities and overseas territories. The number of seats per district, fixed by the decree n°2004-396 of May 6th, 2004, is of 12 for the North-West, 10 for the West, 10 for the East, 10 for South-west, 6 for the Solid mass exchange-Center, 13 for South-east, 14 for the Ile-de-France and 3 for In addition to sea.

Distribution of the seats

The seats are distributed between the lists having obtained more than 5% of the votes cast.

They are allotted according to the order of presentation on the list.

Districts

  • North-western District: areas Lower Normandy, Upper Normandy, Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy.
  • Western District: Brittany areas, Pays-de-la-Loire and Poitou-Charentes.
  • Circonscription Is: areas Alsace, Burgundy, Champagne-Ardenne, Lorraine and Franche-Comté.
  • South-western District: Aquitaine regions, Languedoc-Roussillon and the Midday-Pyrenees.
  • South-eastern District: areas Corsica, Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure and the Rhone-Alps.
  • District Solid mass Exchange-Center: areas Auvergne, the Limousin and Center.
  • the Île-de-France district includes/understands the only area Île-de-France
  • the Outre-mer district gathers the departments, territories and communities of: Saint-Pierre-and-Miquelon, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, Reunion, Mayotte, New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis-and-Futuna.

Ireland

Districts

Ireland is currently divided into four districts: Dublin: 4 seats; Munster, 4 seats; Leinster, 4 seats; Connacht/Ulster, 3 seats.

The number of Irish deputies in the European Parliament will be brought back to 13 the next year. An electoral commission was established to examine the recutting of the European districts in order to take this aspect in account. The commission which published his in October 2003 report recommended to reduce by a unit the number of seats of the districts of Leinster and Munster and to transfer the population from the county from Clare from the district from Munster towards that from Connacht-Ulster.

The commission also recommended that the districts are renamed as follows:

  • Dublin (city and county of Dublin) - 4 seats

  • Is (all counties of Leinster except for Dublin) - 3 seats
    • Southern
  • (all counties of Munster except for Clare) - 3 seats
    • North-western
  • (Clare, all counties of Connacht and three counties of Ulster in the Republic) - 3 seats
The method used is that of the transferable single vote (VUT). This system practically amounts introducing the proportionality:
expressed votes + 1 = quota
seats +1

Ballot paper takes again the names of the candidates in the alphabetical order. Each voter expresses his vote in favor of a candidate and preferably indicates moreover according to his order it (them) candidate (S) towards whom his vote must be transferred if the candidate of its first choice or the choice which will follow already reached the quota or did not obtain sufficient voice and was thus eliminated.

Attribution of the seats

A candidate is elected since it reached the quota. Any vote collected by a candidate and exceeding the quota reached by this candidate is redistributed on a basis proportional among the remaining candidates in accordance with the preferences expressed by the voters.

Italy

Poll proportional according to the law n° 18 of January 24th, 1979.

Attribution of the seats

One divides the number of voices obtained by all the lists by the number of seats to be allotted (78). The national electoral quotient thus is obtained. By dividing the number of votes obtained at the national level by each list by this quotient one obtains the number of seats to be allotted to each list. The remaining seats are allotted to the lists which have the highest “remainders”.

For the distribution in the districts of the seats obtained at the national level, one divides the national total of each list (many valid voices) by the number seats to allot to this same list at the national level. One thus obtains the electoral quotient by list. One carries out then the division of the electoral figure (valid voices) obtained by the list in the district by the electoral quotient by list. The result gives the number of seats to be allotted in the district. Theoretical distribution of the seats in the 5 districts: this distribution of the 78 seats results from a Presidential decree of the Republic on April 10th 2004. The seats were distributed among the districts in a way proportional to their population. The two districts (IIe and IIIe) which have the highest “remainders” are entitled to an additional seat. Nevertheless, the seats being allotted to parties and not to areas, and the abstention playing, the result makes allot more seats to the most populated districts (with the detriment of the islands for example, where the abstention is generally high). The law has leads thus to the election of 7 deputies (instead of 9 theoretical) in the insular district - all originating in Sicily whereas the district includes/understands also the Sardinia.

Districts and number (theoretical) of seats

  • I, north-Western Italy (Piedmont, Valley of Aoste, Ligurie, Lombardy) 20
  • II, north-Eastern Italy (Venezia, Trentin-Haut-Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Emilie-Romagna) 15
  • III, central Italy (Tuscan, Ombrie, Steps, Latium) 15
  • IV, Southern Italy (the Abruzzi, Weakens, Campanie, Pouilles, Basilicate, Calabria) 19
  • V, insular Italy (Sicily, Sardinia) 9

Many inhabitants in the districts:

  • north-Western Italy (1st) 14.938.562

  • north-Eastern Italy (2nd) 10.634.820
  • central Italy (3rd) 10.906.626
  • Southern Italy (4th) 13.914.865
  • insular Italy (5th) 6.600.87

Latvia

Representation proportional. Attribution of the seats: Holy-Laguë Method (division per successive odd numbers).

Luxembourg

Representation proportional national (single district) Distribution of the seats: system of Hondt. Each voter has as much voice than there are seats to allot (six). He can panacher. The voter with the possibility: either to allot the totality of its votes in block to only one list, or to distribute them on various candidates of various lists, or still to distribute them on the candidates of the same list. If the voter votes for a whole list less cash than 6 candidates, this list is credited with as much voice than it counts candidates. A list cannot include/understand more than 12 candidates. The seats are allotted according to the number of voices that the various candidates and the various lists collected.

Poland

Representation proportional

Assignment of the seats: the votes are initially deducted in the worldwide according to the method of Hondt, to determine the lists having obtained more than 5% of the voices. Mandates are then allotted to the various districts. Then, according to the method Hare Niemeyer (which takes account of rate of participation electoral), of the mandates are distributed to the gaining lists.

Districts geographical subdivision

The United Kingdom

Way of voting

Representation proportional: by means of a system of regional lists blocked for eleven areas: Eastern (7 seats), East the Midlands (6 seats), London (9 seats), North-East England (3 seats), North-West England (9 seats), South-East England (10 seats), South-West England (7 seats), West the Midlands (7 seats), Yorkshire and Humberside (6 seats), Scotland (7 seats) and Wales (4 seats). Distribution of the seats: Method of Hondt for the above mentioned areas. Representation proportional: by means of the transferable single voting system (VUT) for the three seats in Northern Ireland.

Programs in France

Principal ideas of the national parties engaged in the election European 2004:

Budget

  • PVE (green): to equip Europe with budgetary means
  • NOR (RCF): to lower the taxes of the taxpayers and the companies
  • NOR (FN): to redesign the European pact
  • NOR (FN): to decrease the French participation in the European budget

Employment

  • PVE :
      • PVE (green): to break with liberalism productivist
      • PVE (green): to reduce the working time
      • PVE (green): to harmonize the tax and social legislations
      • PVE (green): for social minimums
      • PVE (green): to democratize the companies, to reinforce the trade unions
      • PVE (green): for a monetary policy at the employment service and environment
  • PSE:
      • PSE (PS) : to align the protection of workers on the countries best protected.
      • PSE (PS): for social minimums
      • PSE (PS): to transform the stability pact into pact of growth
  • UGE:
      • UGE (Pt): less gifts with the owners
      • UGE (Pt): for the social security of 1945
      • UGE (lo-lcr): to align the protection of workers on the countries best protected.
      • UGE (PC): to align the protection of workers on the countries best protected.
      • UGE (PC): to develop a “sécu” for employment and the formation
      • UGE (PC): to reduce the work period in all the Convention countries
      • UGE (PC): to regulate precarious work (in Europe)
      • UGE (PC): to give up the stability pact
  • EPP:
      • EPP (UMP): for an industrial policy and of European research
      • EPP (UDF): for a European economic policy
      • EPP (UDF): for a policy of research and fiscal harmonization

  • UEN (villiers): to work more (less than 35 hours, less assistantship), to be opposed to the trade unions (and the PSE)

  • UEN (villiers): to adapt the taxation to the companies
  • NOR (RCF): to lower the taxes of the taxpayers and the companies

  • EDD (CPNT): to defend employment

  • ELDR (France at the head): to lower the VAT, against the standardization of fishing and the vine growing. Against Europe with the service of the multinationals.
  • NOR (France of in bottom): to harmonize the tax legislations
  • NOR (FN): against ultra-liberalism
  • NOR (FN): against the stability pact
  • NOR (FN): for customs duties with the borders of Europe

Institutions Democracy

  • EDD (CPNT): to maintain national decisions, to limit the role of the European institutions.
  • UGE (lo-lcr): for the right to vote, and freedom of movement

constitution
  • EDD (CPNT): for a referendum (national)
  • EPP (UMP): for a referendum (national)
  • EPP (UDF): for the constitution, a president of Europe
  • PSE (PS): for the constitution, a referendum, the same day for all the countries.
  • UEN (villiers): for a referendum (national)
  • PVE (green): for a social efficient constitution laic, citizen and evolutionary, to leave the liberal policies
  • PVE (green): for a transnational referendum

  • UGE (Pt): against

  • UGE (lo-lcr): against the constitution and conre the French State.
  • UGE (PC): for a reform of the institutions

Turkey

  • EDD (CPNT): against the entry of Turkey in Europe
  • EPP (UMP): against the entry of Turkey in Europe
  • ELDR (France at the head): for a referendum
  • UEN (villiers): against the entry of Turkey in Europe
  • NOR (FN): against the entry of Turkey in Europe

  • PVE (green): to accept the entry of Turkey, to support the democracy

safety

  • EPP (UMP): for a political and military union, a European body of guards borders
  • EPP (UDF): Europe against terrorism and the organized crime
  • UEN (villiers): to reinvest the Islamized districts
  • UEN (villiers): so that France controls borders
  • PVE (green): to harmonize the police legislations and legal procedures and
  • PVE (green): to cooperate with the countries of the South, for the democracy and self-development
  • UGE (lo-lcr): against the military interventions
  • UGE (PC): to put the force of Europe at the service of peace
  • NOR (FN): for a right to veto (decision unanimously)
  • PSE:
      • PSE (PS) : for a common foreign politics
      • PSE (PS): to put the force of Europe at the service of peace
      • PSE (PS): to harmonize the police legislations and legal procedures and

public services

  • ELDR (France at the head): for
  • PVE (green): to defend them in the areas
  • UGE (lo-lcr): to generalize the public services, and not the privatiser
  • UGE (PC): to register them in the European treaty
  • NOR (RCF): to lower the taxes of the taxpayers and the companies
  • PSE (PS): to defend the public services

ecology

  • NOR (France of in bottom): to reduce pollution
  • PVE (green): to reduce pollution
  • UGE (lo-lcr): against the nuclear risk
  • EPP (UDF): Europe against pollution
  • NOR (RCF): to lower the taxes of the taxpayers and the companies
  • PSE (PS): to defend ecology

territories

  • PVE (green): for the equitable trade, the public services, and an organic farming
  • PVE (green): to recognize the euro-areas
  • NOR (FN): to restore the community preference of the Union

education

  • PVE
      • PVE (green): to encourage the cultural exchanges and university
      • PVE (green): to support all the languages
      • PVE (green): for European educational dies
  • NOR (RCF): to lower the taxes of the taxpayers and the companies

health

  • PVE (green): to give the priority against the AIDS, and cancer
  • UGE (lo-lcr): against the nuclear risk
  • EPP (UDF): Europe against the epidemics
  • NOR (RCF): to lower the taxes of the taxpayers and the companies

free

  • PVE (green): to prohibit the marchandisation of alive the
  • PVE (green): for the free software

women

  • UGE (lo-lcr): for a free and free abortion
  • UGE (PC): to protect the rights

any other business

  • EDD (CPNT): to modify directives for/against the birds
  • ELDR (France at the head): against the vegetable fats in the chocolate
  • ELDR (France at the head): for secularity
  • NOR (France of in bottom): to protect the animals, to protect the handicapped people
  • PVE (green): to protect the animals
  • PVE (green): to fight discriminations

New parties for the elections of 2004

  • On the scale of the Union, the party of the Verts Europeans was created in Rome the February 21st 2004 for these elections.

  • With the the United Kingdom, the Respect Unity Coalition was created for these European elections with the intention to use it like seedbed for a campaign against the government of Tony Blair.

See too

European Elections of 2004 in the Convention countries:

External bonds

  • Official site of the Union for the European elections

  • national Sites of the European elections

Sites of information for the European elections

  • Ireland: European Parliament Office in Ireland election information

  • RU: EuropeCounts.org .uk - Official the U.K. European Elections Website
  • attendance and voting records; software obvious (see article obvious Software) and environment resulting (see articles Green/Environment resulting) collect dated one how MEPs voted, in order that the electorate may cuts has better idea one how to vote one them.

Candidates

  • Belgium
  • Luxembourg
  • France
  • Netherlands
  • Sweden
  • the United Kingdom
  • German Version of this article for the candidates of Germany and Austria

See too

  • European Elections 2004 in France

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