It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the low voter turnout at the European Parliament (EP) and its future elections are just around the corner, 2019. The purpose of this paper is to review past EP elections and define proposals, which could allow the European Union (EU) to fight abstention, and to give an opinion about the voter turnout at the next elections.
The first section of this paper will examine the role and development of the EP, discuss the EU democratic deficit and Euroscepticism. It is fundamental to have a background in this field before coming to an analysis of the past elections, parties and Members of the EP (MEP) and to the main discussion of this paper, the proposals the EU could adopt to increase voter turnout and to a personal opinion of future voter turnout.
The EP is the only directly elected international Parliament, this institution has many peculiarities. (Wagner, 2002:24) At the beginning of the EU, the EP was merely an assembly with a consultative role, it was with the Rome Treaty that the first view of a Parliament came out which was finally established in 1979. (Wagner, 2002: 24) The steps of its empowerment are several, the most important are: in 1987 the Single European Act which introduces the co-operation procedure, 1993 the Maastricht Treaty, which introduces the co-decision procedure and the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999 which extend the co-decision procedure. (Wagner, 2002: 25) The last and more important step of empowerment is with the Lisbon Treaty, which set out the co-decision as the normal legislative procedure.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. EP, Democratic deficit and Euroscepticism
3. Past election
3.1. Party and electoral system
3.2. Low turnout
4. Future Election 2019 - Factors for a low voter turnout
5. Suggestions: What can the EU do?
6. Conclusions
7. Bibliography:
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the ongoing challenge of declining voter turnout in European Parliament (EP) elections. The primary research objective is to analyze historical election data, explore the causes behind voter abstention—including the perceived democratic deficit and the rise of Euroscepticism—and evaluate potential strategic proposals that the European Union could implement to increase civic participation in future electoral cycles.
- The historical development and empowerment of the European Parliament.
- The impact of "second-order" election theory on voter behavior and party success.
- Root causes of abstention, such as lack of information and institutional distance.
- Evaluation of electoral reforms, including the Spitzenkandidaten process and pan-European lists.
- The role of media communication in bridging the gap between EU institutions and citizens.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Past election
The aim of this paragraph is to analyse voter`s behaviours. According to the “second-order” theory, behaviours of voters may change in the EP elections in favour of smaller parties, since they vote less strategically; levels of turnout are lower and EP elections reflect the unhappiness of voter towards the national governments. (Hobolt, 2007: 4) Moreover, studies from Hix and Marsh show that usually big parties tend to loose in the supranational elections, and the outcome of past elections is that governing parties tend to have a worse turnout. (Hobolt, 2007: 4) The result of Euroscepticism may be abstention.
One lack of the political campaign is the information through media, in fact, MEPs are not well known and voters cannot criticise low performance if they are not well aware about what MEPs actually do. (Hobolt, 2007: 22) If there are only low quality candidates it will be very easy that voters use the election only in order to punish their national governments, that is why Hobolt supposes that opposition parties may put more efforts and chose high quality candidates. (Hobolt, 2007: 8) Hobolt argues that parties are more willing to put high-qualified candidates in national elections, where the electoral pay-offs are higher.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the persistent issue of low voter turnout in European Parliament elections and sets the framework for the paper's analysis and proposals.
2. EP, Democratic deficit and Euroscepticism: This section details the historical evolution of the European Parliament and discusses the theoretical and political discourse surrounding the EU's democratic deficit and the rise of Eurosceptic sentiments.
3. Past election: This chapter analyzes historical voting behaviors, applying "second-order" theory to explain why voters often treat European elections as a mechanism to signal dissatisfaction with national governments.
3.1. Party and electoral system: This section examines the diversity of electoral systems across member states and how different party structures influence voter strategies and electoral outcomes.
3.2. Low turnout: This chapter provides a statistical overview of the declining participation rates in EP elections since 1979, highlighting significant regional variations across the European Union.
4. Future Election 2019 - Factors for a low voter turnout: This chapter investigates the primary reasons for voter abstention based on survey data, including lack of political interest, insufficient media coverage, and perceived lack of institutional impact.
5. Suggestions: What can the EU do?: This section evaluates potential reforms, ranging from enhancing media communication and electoral harmonizations to the implementation of the Spitzenkandidaten procedure.
6. Conclusions: The final chapter summarizes the central findings and offers a critical perspective on the likelihood of significant turnout increases in the future.
7. Bibliography:: This section lists the academic sources, reports, and policy documents utilized for the analysis.
Keywords
European Parliament, Voter Turnout, Euroscepticism, Democratic Deficit, Second-order Theory, Abstention, Spitzenkandidaten, Electoral Reform, European Union, Political Participation, Candidate Quality, Media Coverage, Supranational Elections, Legislative Procedure, Voter Behavior
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the consistent decline of voter turnout in European Parliament elections and explores strategies the EU could adopt to improve civic engagement.
What are the central themes discussed in this analysis?
Key themes include the democratic deficit, the rise of Eurosceptic parties, the impact of national political contexts on European elections, and the effectiveness of current electoral procedures.
What is the main objective of the research?
The objective is to identify the causes of voter abstention and evaluate specific proposals, such as electoral reforms and improved communication strategies, to increase participation in future elections.
Which scientific methods or theories are utilized?
The author uses historical analysis of electoral data and applies political science theories, specifically the "second-order" election theory, to interpret voter behavior.
What topics are covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the development of the EP, an analysis of past election data, the factors contributing to low turnout, and a critical evaluation of reform proposals like pan-European lists and mandatory voting.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include European Parliament, voter turnout, Euroscepticism, democratic deficit, second-order election theory, and electoral reform.
What role does the "second-order" theory play in understanding voter behavior?
It explains that voters often view European elections as less important than national ones, using them primarily to punish national governments rather than to engage with European issues.
How does the author view the potential impact of Brexit on future voter turnout?
The author suggests that while Brexit brings EU issues to the forefront of media attention, it may simultaneously increase Eurosceptic sentiments, potentially keeping turnout stagnant.
Why does the author consider mandatory voting an unrealistic solution?
While acknowledging its effectiveness in increasing turnout, the author notes that it raises significant moral and democratic concerns regarding individual liberty.
- Citation du texte
- Amelia Martha Matera (Auteur), 2018, European Parliament elections 2019. What can the EU do to try and increase voter turnout for 2019?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/442599
