European Parliament

Many people help run Europe.

They meet to make rules. These rules help many lands. People vote for leaders. This is called an election.

People vote every five years. Most people can vote at age 18. Some places let younger people vote too. This helps them have a say.

Leaders meet in two cities. They work in Brussels. They also meet in Strasbourg. They talk about important things there.

These leaders work to make things fair. They help many people live together. It is a very big job.

The European Parliament helps make rules for the European Union.

It is one of the most powerful groups in Europe. It works with the Council to pass laws. These laws affect many people across many lands.

Members of the Parliament are called MEPs. There are 720 MEPs after the 2024 elections.

People vote for these members every five years. This is a very big election. It is the second largest in the world. In most places, people can vote at age 18. In some places like Germany, they can vote at 16.

In the past, this group was much smaller. It started in 1952 as a small group of people. They did not make laws back then. They only gave advice. Since 1979, people have voted for them directly. This changed how much power they have.

The Parliament works in two main cities. Most work happens in Brussels, Belgium.

They also meet in Strasbourg, France. This helps the group serve many different countries. They also have offices in Luxembourg City.

The European Parliament is a very important group in the European Union.

It is one of seven main institutions that help run the union. This group works with the Council of the European Union to pass laws. These laws are called European legislation. To start this process, the European Commission must first make a proposal. The Parliament has a big job because it represents millions of people. It is a key part of how many different countries work together.

Members of this group are called MEPs. There are 720 MEPs following the elections in June 2024.

This group is huge because it represents about 375 million voters. That makes it the second-largest democratic group in the whole world. In 2024, the voting age was 18 in most places. However, some countries allow younger people to vote. In Austria, Belgium, Germany, and Malta, the age is 16. In Greece, people can vote at age 17.

This group has a long and changing history. It first met on September 10, 1952.

Back then, it was called the Common Assembly. It only had 78 members who were appointed by other leaders. These members did not have the power to make laws. They could only give advice to others. In 1979, things changed very much. For the first time, citizens voted for their members directly. This made the Parliament much more powerful over time.

Today, the Parliament has many specific duties. It shares power with the Council to decide on laws. It also has an equal say in the EU budget.

The Parliament can even check on the European Commission. It can approve or reject the person chosen to lead the Commission. If the Parliament is very unhappy, it can even force the Commission to resign. This happened in 1999 during a large crisis. The Parliament is divided into different political groups. Five of the largest groups are the EPP, S&D, PfE, ECR, and Renew Europe.

Working in different places is part of how the Parliament functions. Its official headquarters are in Strasbourg, France.

However, most of its daily work happens in Brussels, Belgium. The group also has administrative offices in Luxembourg City. This split happens because of past agreements between different countries. The Parliament meets in Strasbourg for four days every month. The rest of the time, members work in Brussels. This way, the group can serve all the different member states fairly.

The European Parliament (EP) is a central legislative body of the European Union (EU).

It is one of seven institutions that govern the union. The Parliament works alongside the Council of the European Union to pass laws. These laws are known as European legislation. While the Parliament helps make laws, it does not have the right of initiative. This means it cannot formally start the law-making process. That specific power belongs to the European Commission, which acts as the EU's executive branch. However, the Parliament can ask the Commission to propose new laws.

The Parliament is a massive democratic institution. Following the June 2024 elections, it consists of 720 members. These members are called Members of the European Parliament, or MEPs. This body represents an electorate of approximately 375 million eligible voters. This makes it the second-largest democratic electorate on Earth, following the Parliament of India. Since 1979, MEPs have been directly elected every five years through universal suffrage. Voting ages vary by country. Most EU states set the age at 18. However, Austria, Belgium, Germany, and Malta allow voting at 16. Greece sets the age at 17.

The Parliament holds significant power over the EU budget. It shares equal budgetary control with the Council. It also acts as a check on the European Commission. The Parliament must approve the Commission as a whole. It also has the power to approve or reject the nominee for President of the Commission. If the Parliament is deeply dissatisfied, it can pass a motion of censure. This motion can force the entire Commission to resign. This occurred in 1999 when the Parliament refused to approve the budget due to allegations of fraud and mismanagement.

Inside the chamber, MEPs organize into political groups based on ideology. These groups are not divided by nationality. The five largest groups are the European People's Party (EPP) and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D). Other major groups include Patriots for Europe (PfE), the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), and Renew Europe. The President of the Parliament serves as the speaker. This leader presides over the multi-party chamber during sessions.

The history of the Parliament shows a steady rise in power. It began on September 10, 1952, as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community. At that time, it was a consultative assembly. It had only 78 appointed members from national parliaments. These members had no legislative power and could only offer advice. In 1958, the Treaties of Rome established the European Economic Community. The assembly then became the European Parliamentary Assembly. It began organizing by political ideology rather than by country in 1958.

Direct elections in 1979 marked a major turning point. Simone Veil became the first female president of the elected Parliament. Since then, the institution has gained more authority through various treaty changes. For example, the Parliament gained power over the community budget in 1970. By 1975, this power expanded to the entire budget. The Parliament also gained the right to approve international agreements through the consent procedure. This evolution moved the body from a "talking shop" to a powerful global legislature.

The Parliament operates across three different locations. Its official headquarters are in Strasbourg, France. Its administrative offices are in Luxembourg City. Most daily work and committee meetings happen in Brussels, Belgium.

This split is the result of complex political agreements. In 1992, an agreement was reached during the Edinburgh summit. The Parliament keeps its official seat in Strasbourg for twelve plenary sessions a year. Each session lasts four days. However, the Parliament spends three weeks every month working in Brussels. This arrangement remains a subject of discussion among member states.