Party politics is seldom a major factor in most of the EU institutions. But in the European Parliament, where members sit in one of seven political groups organised by political affiliation rather than nationality, it does play a significant role. On most issues voting in the Parliament divides along broad left/right lines, but because EU parliamentary parties are coalitions of different national parties, agreements generally rely upon consensus among many groups. This is particularly important because no group has an overall majority in the parliament.
History
Party politics, as understood at the national level, was not originally expected to play an important role in the European project. The aim of the founding fathers of the European Community was to avoid controversial political decisions by seeking consensus wherever possible, even on technical topics like trade and competition. When political leaders met in the European Council, or Council of Ministers, they were to represent their national government, rather than party interests. Most decisions are made by consensus, with all Council members having to vote in favour of a new policy or changes to existing policies.
As the powers of the European Community expanded, so calls grew for more democratic representation. Originally, the members of the European Parliament were chosen by the national parliaments but in 1979 the first direct elections were held, allowing the citizens of the member states to vote for the candidate of their choice. Since then, direct elections have been held every five years. There are currently 785 MEPs.
With the growth of the legislative powers of the Parliament, party politics has gradually begun to play a part in the decision-making process. The co-decision procedure, introduced by the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992, led to a greater emphasis on party politics. In 2004 the EU passed a statute that allowed EU political parties to receive funds from within the EU budget. The Commission is currently developing plans to strengthen the European parties in an effort to boost turnout at elections. After the 2009 European Parliament elections, the rules for forming EU political parties will change. From June 2009 parties will need to have at least 25 members from seven different Member States. These new rules have been criticised as undemocratic because they ban small parties.
The main groups in the European Parliament
Below are listed the main party groupings in the European Parliament and the number of MEPs for each party in the 2005-2009 term. Allegiances and groupings often shift.
