European Parliament. Together for the Seventh Time

30 years ago, on June, 10, 1979, the first direct elections to the European Parliament took place. It became the beginning of “new era” of development of the EEC – pass to the next political stage of integration transformations of organization.

However, the real right to take part in the legislative process of the European Parliament was received only in 1987 when it was decided that the representatives of governments of countries of the EU and the European Parliament itself have to reach consent in relation to 2/3 questions, otherwise the corresponding acts of the EU can not be passed. Actually, the parliament of the seventh convocation will have the same right, elections to which took place on June, 4–7, 2009. 736 deputies (who have to form parliamentary groups and factions during July) and also 18 “observers” became its part. New members of the parliament were elected on a step-by-step basis: on June,4 (Great Britain and Netherlands), 5 (Ireland and Czechia), 6 (Cyprus, France, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Slovakia, Czekh) and 7 (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden). However, neither three months of pre-election campaign, nor the possibility of the electronic voting attracted electors: only 39% from 375 million people– people of the countries of the EU- appeared at electoral districts. Such presence is too low; at least in 2004 it was 45%. From 27 countries people actively voted only in two – in Belgium and Cyprus. And the only reason for it is that voting is obligatory there: the absence at the election can lead to a fine. Other Europeans explain their passive conduct with disinterest in these elections, as with the help of the European Parliament they can not directly influence on the policy of the EU and they lost trust in anything already long time ago.

Yuliya TSYRFA