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A Member of the European Parliament (English abbreviation MEP)[1] is a member of the European Union's legislative body, the European Parliament. MEPs are the European Union's equivalents of a country's national legislators, known in the United Kingdom as MPs. Another term is Euro-deputy, more common in countries like France, Italy, Spain or Portugal. For a list of the current members see Members of the European Parliament 2004-2009.
When Parliament was first established, MEPs were appointed by member states in national delegations. Since 1979, however, MEPs have been elected by direct universal suffrage. Each country establishes their own way of electing their MEPs and in some countries the electoral system has changed over time and across regions.
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Election of MEPs
Since January 1, 2007, there have been 785 MEPs. (It was agreed that after the elections in 2009, there would be at most 751 MEPs, and each member state would have at least five and at most 99.) Elections occur once every five years, on the basis of universal adult suffrage. There is no uniform voting system for the election of MEPs; rather, each member state is free to choose its own system, subject to three restrictions:
- The system must be a form of proportional representation, under either the party list or Single Transferable Vote system.
- The electoral area may be subdivided if this will not generally affect the proportional nature of the voting system.
- Any election threshold on the national level must not exceed five percent.
The allocation of seats to each member state is based on the principle of degressive proportionality, so that, while the size of the population of each country is taken into account, smaller states elect more MEPs than would be strictly justified by their populations alone. As the number of MEPs granted to each country has arisen from treaty negotiations, there is no precise formula for the apportionment of seats among member states. No change in this configuration can occur without the unanimous consent of all governments.
The most recent elections to the European Parliament were the European elections of 2004, held in June of that year. They were the largest simultaneous transnational elections ever held anywhere in the world, since nearly 400 million citizens were eligible to vote.
Length of Service
The European Parliament has a high turnover of members compared to some national parliaments. For instance, after the 2004 elections, the majority of elected members had not been members in the prior parliamentary session, though that could largely be put down to the recent enlargement. Only four of them (Pottering, Friedrich, Wurtz, & Bonde) have served continuously since the first elections in 1979.
MEPs within the Parliament
All but 14 MEPs are members of cross-nationality political groups, organised according to political allegiance. For instance, the UK's Labour MEPs are members of the Party of European Socialists, and all Conservative MEPs except one (Roger Helmer) are members of the European People's Party - European Democrats.
However, there are considerable differences between this Group structure and most national parliaments' party structure. The rules of the Parliament state that "no member shall receive a binding mandate", and as a result, Group discipline is far laxer than most party political discipline, with national delegations and individual members sometimes voting against the Group 'line' on particular issues. Furthermore, the position taken by a Group on any given issue is determined by discussion within the Group, not handed down by the party leadership. Individual 'back-bench' MEPs do therefore have considerable influence over the development of policy within the Parliament.
Aside from Group politics, individual members are also guaranteed a number of other powers and rights within the Parliament:
- the right to table a motion for resolution;
- the right to put questions to the leaders of the Parliament, the European Council, the Council of Ministers and the Commission;
- the right to table an amendment to any text in committee;
- the right to make explanations of vote;
- the right to raise points of order;
- the right to move the inadmissibility of a matter.
- See also: European Parliament political group
The job of an MEP
Being an MEP is a full-time job. One week in each month is taken up with the Parliament's session in Strasbourg, and much of the remaining three weeks by committee, Group, or full Parliament meetings in Brussels.
On top of all this is the need to keep in touch with constituents at home. The problems of having to travel frequently between Parliament and constituency, familiar to most national MPs, are compounded in the case of MEPs because the distances are much larger. Parliamentary affairs leave only a couple of days each week for MEPs to spend time in their constituencies, during which time they must deal with individual constituents, local organisations, local and national politicians, businesses, trade unions, and so on. Because of these pressures, many MEPs have a substantial staff to help them to respond.
Many MEPs choose to make their family home in Brussels rather than in their home country, to avoid family obligations competing with other pressures in the limited time that members are able to spend in their constituency.
Because MEPs sit in a Parliament with far fewer powers than national parliaments, their public profile in their home country is typically lower than that of national parliamentarians.
Costs and Privileges
Salary
MEPs are paid exactly the same salary as a member of the lower House of their own national parliament. As a result, there is a wide range of salaries in the European Parliament. In 2002, Italian MEPs earned €130,000, while Spanish MEPs earned barely a quarter of that at €32,000. [2]
However, in July 2005 the Council agreed to a single statute for all MEPs, following a proposal by the Parliament. Thus, from the first day of the parliamentary term starting in 2009, all MEPs will receive a basic monthly salary of €7,000. This has been calculated as 38.5% of an European Court judge's salary. The much-criticised expenses arrangements will also be reformed. [3]
Expenses
Commentators in several member states (most notably Denmark, Sweden and the UK) have accurately accused MEPs of taking advantage of lucrative expense allowances for personal profit. These criticisms typically centre on two areas:citation needed
- the amount paid to MEPs as expenses; and
- the manner in which it is paid.
With regard to the amount paid, according to the Parliament's rules of procedure, British MEPs receive allowances that are roughly equivalent to those paid to British MPs. As of 2002:
- British MPs received an allowance for travel around their constituencies, but MEPs did not, despite the fact that their constituencies were much larger.citation needed
- British MPs were paid a lump sum of just under £19,500 for accommodation at seat of Parliament, regardless of the time they actually spent there. MEPs received £150 per day attended and were required to sign in to prove attendance.citation needed
- Both British MPs and MEPs were paid travel expenses for journeys from constituencies to Parliament. Contrary to widespread rumours, MEPs received 'YY economy class' air fares paid, not first class, plus an allowance per kilometre for the trip from their home to the airport. Only one journey was allowed per week.citation needed
- British MPs were given first class rail tickets for spouse and children to Westminster up to thirty times per year. MEPs had no such allowance.
- British MPs were given two return tickets per year to any EU parliament or the European Parliament itself. MEPs had no such allowance.
- British MPs received unlimited travel expenses around the UK on parliamentary business. MEPs were given a similar allowance, but this was limited to £2,170 per year, plus an extra allowance if they needed to return home midweek.
- British MPs and MEPs both received an office allowance. MEPs were paid 44% more than MPs, but this had to include postage and all equipment, whereas MPs also received unlimited free postage and free computers.
- British MPs and MEPs both had a staff allowance. MEPs received 30% more than MPs, but their staffs are typically larger, and this amount had to cover staff pensions, temporary replacements for illness, redundancy costs at end of mandate, staff travel, insurance, administration, and employer's liability. MPs had those provided for free on top of their allowance.
- At the end of their mandates, British MPs received four months of office allowances, while MEPs received three.
With regard to the manner in which it is paid, complaints are often raised about the fact that MEPs' flights to and from Brussels are paid at a flat rate, regardless of the expenditure actually incurred. The price paid is for economy travel, not first-class.citation needed, but nevertheless this value often amounts to significantly more than the actual price of travel with one of the many budget airlines that serve Brussels.
Another area of concern is the fact that MEPs' accounts are currently audited on a spot-check basis, not a universal one. Feeling this to be insufficient, some members voluntarily submit their accounts for a full independent audit annually.
Reform of salary and expenses
Parliament repeatedly expressed a will to reform its salary and expenses package. After various failed attempts, agreement with the Council was finally agreed in July 2005. The new arrangements will apply with the convening of the new Parliament following the elections scheduled in June 2009.
In 2008 a reporter named Thomas Meier was thrown out of the EU parliament by security. His offence was filming Euro MP’s lining up at 6.45 am on a Friday to claim their daily attendance allowance, before immediately leaving for the weekend. He was entitled to film in the corridor and had full press accreditation for the site. During his filming he was threatened by some Euro MP’s and another attempted to hide in a lift and then ran away when he spoke to her. His film can be found on YouTube.citation needed
Financial interests
Members declare their financial interests, which are published annually in a register and available on the Internet.
Immunities
Under the protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Union, MEPs in their home country receive the same immunities as their own national parliamentarians. In other member states, MEPs are immune from detention and from legal proceedings, except when caught in the act of committing an offence. This immunity may be waived by application to the European Parliament by the authorities of the country in question.
Individual members
Members' experience
Around a third of MEPs have previously held national parliamentary mandates, and over 10% have ministerial experience at a national level. Among the 177 MEPs with such experience elected in 1999 were six prime ministers and three former members of the European Commission. Many more MEPs have held office at a regional level in their home countries.
Current MEPs also include former judges, trade union leaders, media personalities, actors, soldiers, singers, athletes, and political activists.
Many outgoing MEPs move into other political office. A remarkably high proportion of European countries' recent heads of government have previously served in the Parliament.
Dual mandates
The so-called "dual mandate"—in which an individual is a member of both his or her national parliament and the European Parliament, is officially discouraged and has been prohibited by a number of EU countries, most recently Italy. Still, a small and dwindling number of members do hold a dual mandate, such as MEPs Baroness Ludford and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne (both UK Liberal Democrats who also sit in the House of Lords). Notably, Ian Paisley once held a "triple mandate" as an MEP, MP in the House of Commons, and MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly simultaneously.
Diversity
The proportion of MEPs elected in 2004 who were female was 30.2 percent, in 1979 it was just 16.5 percent, a higher percentage than most national parliaments. This figure varies considerably among the various national delegations, however. Of UK members, for instance, approaching half of the Labour MEPs are female, compared to only about 8 percent of Conservative members.
The oldest member is Giovanni Berlinguer, born in 1924; the former communist was present at the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. The youngest is Dimitar Stoyanov, born in 1983, who joined the parliament in 2007.
There are numerous notable figures in the Parliament, for example;
- Vladimír Remek, the first man in space not from the United States or the Soviet Union.
- Jean-Marie Le Pen, far-right French politician, came second in the 2002 French presidential election.
- Michel Rocard, former Prime Minister of France (1988-1991).
- Alessandra Mussolini, granddaughter of Italian fascist World War II dictator Benito Mussolini.
- Michael Cashman, former British actor (EastEnders) and gay rights campaigner.
- Lívia Járóka, first eastern European (first was from Spain) Roma MEP; soon came a second, minority rights campaigner Viktória Mohácsi.
- Ari Vatanen, Champion Rally driver, elected by a French constituency, rather than his native Finland.
- Peter Šťastný, Slovak professional ice hockey player.
- Lilli Gruber, high-profile television journalist who joined politics due to Silvio Berlusconi's high degree of media control.
- Robert Kilroy-Silk, former chat show host maverick who was fired from the BBC due to racist remarks.
- Giovanni Rivera, a former Italian football player and European Footballer of the Year in 1969.
- László Tőkés, an ethnic Hungarian pastor in Romania who played an important role in the Romanian Revolution of 1989.
- Daniel Cohn-Bendit, 1968 French student leader
Former members;
- Maurice Duverger, french political scientist.
- Otto von Habsburg, a former member and current head of the Habsburg dynasty.
- Ian Paisley, leading politician of Northern Ireland, a member from 1979 to 2004 with a unique "triple mandate" as MEP, MP, and MLA.
- John Hume, another leading Northern Irish politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
- Massimo D'Alema, former Prime Minister of Italy.
- Dana Rosemary Scallon, 1970 Eurovision Song Contest winner
Observers
It is conventional for countries acceding to the European Union to send a number of observers to Parliament in advance. The number of observers and their method of appointment (usually by national parliaments) is laid down in the joining countries' Treaties of Accession.
Observers may attend debates and take part by invitation, but they may not vote or exercise other official duties. When the countries then become full member states, these observers become full MEPs for the interim period between accession and the next European elections.
In this way, the agreed maximum of 750 parliamentary seats may temporarily be exceeded. For instance, in 2004, the number of seats in the European Parliament was temporarily raised to 788 to accommodate representatives from the ten states that joined the EU on 1 May, but it was subsequently reduced to 732 following the elections in June.
From September 26, 2005 to December 31, 2006, Bulgaria had 18 observers in Parliament and Romania 35. These were selected from government and opposition parties as agreed by the countries' national parliaments. On January 1, 2007, the observers became MEPs (with some personnel changes).
An upcoming European Parliament report is expected to recommend that North Cypriots be allowed to send observers to the Parliament in a speaking, but non-voting, capacity to represent Turkish Cypriots in an effort to open dialogue and ease their isolation. This could also involve making Turkish an official language. This is opposed by the European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP-ED) however and has not been made an official proposal yet.[4] Currently Cyprus is allocated MEPs based upon the population of the whole of the island, but only Greek Cypriots sit in Parliament.
References
- The European Parliament (fifth edition, 2003), by Richard Corbett, Francis Jacobs and Michael Shackleton.
See also
External links
- Official Register of MEPs
- The election of the Members of the European Parliament European Navigator
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