European elections: From 1979 to 2024

The first pan-European elections to elect the European Parliament were held in June 1979, making the institution the first supranational international assembly directly elected by the people.

European elections are held every five years and the upcoming election is the 10th to be held over a span of 45 years.

Maltese voters and EU nationals living in Malta who registered to vote here, will cast their ballot on Saturday 8 June. However, elections across the 27 member states will be held between the 6 and 9 June.

MaltaToday takes a look at the elections held since 1979 to elect the European Parliament, which has expanded gradually over time to take into account the inclusion of new member states.

1979

The European Parliament becomes the world’s first directly elected international assembly. More than 185 million voters in nine countries that formed the European Community were called on to vote. The election was held on 10 June, marking a historic moment for European democracy. The turnout was 62%.

The first session of the new European Parliament was held at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg, France. MEPs chose Simone Veil as President of the European Parliament.

The parliament consisted of 410 seats and women made up 16% of MEPs. After Greece joined the EEC in 1981, the parliamentary seats increased to 434, allowing Greek MEPs to take up their seats.

1984

The second election saw 434 MEPs being elected across 10 countries. The turnout was 59%. Women made up 18% of elected officials. The Socialist Group emerged as the largest grouping with 130 seats, followed by the European People’s Party with 110 seats. By the end of the five-year term the parliament had grown to 518 seats to cater for the accession of Portugal and Spain in January 1986.

1989

The election was held in 12 countries and the turnout was 58%. Representation of women increased marginally to 19%. The parliament consisted of 518 seats and its size remained so throughout the five-year term. The Socialist Group emerged as the largest with 198 seats, followed by the EPP with 162 seats.

1994

The election was held in 12 countries and 567 seats were up for grabs after parliament was expanded to take into account Germany’s unification that happened in 1990 after the fall of the Berlin Wall. By the time the five-year term came to an end, the EP consisted of 626 seats to take into account the accession of Sweden, Austria and Finland in 1995. Just over a quarter (26%) of MEPs were women. Turnout for the election was 57%.

1999

Now a bloc made up of 15 countries, the EP election was held in June and 626 seats were up for grabs. The turnout continued to decrease and reached 50%. Female representation increased to 30%. The EPP emerged as the largest party with 232 seats, followed by the Party of European Socialists with 180 seats. The Treaty of Nice that came into force in February 2003 to prepare for the bloc’s largest expansion in 2004 when eight eastern European countries and two Mediterranean islands – Malta and Cyprus – joined the union.

2004

Elections were held across 25 countries, including Malta. Turnout across the bloc was 45%. Female representation remained relatively unchanged at 31%. Europeans elected 732 MEPs, with the EPP emerging as the largest grouping with 268 seats, followed by the Socialist Group with 200 seats. Parliament expanded to 785 seats after Bulgaria and Romania joined the bloc and held European elections in 2007.

Malta was allotted five seats, with the Labour Party electing three MEPs and the Nationalist Party electing two.

2009

Elections were held in 27 countries and the turnout continued to decrease to reach 43%. Europeans elected 736 MEPs with the EPP maintaining its supremacy with 265 seats, followed by the Socialists and Democrats with 184 seats. Female representation increased to 35%. The election was held under the old rules, which meant Malta had five seats to its name. The PL won three seats against the PN’s two. However, when the Lisbon Treaty came into force Malta was allotted an extra seat, which was won by the PL. Croatia joined the EU in 2013 with its MEPs joining the parliament soon after.

2014

Elections were held in 28 countries and the turnout remained at a dismal 43%. Europeans elected 751 MEPs and female representation notched up to 37%. The EPP retained its primacy with 221 seats, followed by the S&D with 191 seats. This was the first election in Malta for six seats. The PL and PN won three seats each.

2019

This election, held across 28 countries, saw the turnout increase to 51%. Europeans elected 751 MEPs and female representation increased to 41%. The EPP emerged as the largest grouping with 182 seats, followed by the S&D with 154 seats, and the liberal Renew coming in third with 108 seats. When the UK exited the EU in January 2020, the 73 UK MEPs vacated their seats. 27 of these vacated seats were reassigned to 14 other member states, while the remaining 46 were set aside for future allocations should new member states join the EU. In Malta, the PL won four seats and the PN won two.

In January 2022, Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola was elected to serve as EP president following the death of incumbent David Sassoli. She became the youngest ever president, the first Maltese to hold the office and the first female president since 2002.

2024

The election is to be held between 6 and 9 June in 27 member states. In Malta, the European election will be held on Saturday 8 June with an option for early voting a week before. Voters in each of the 27 member states will be electing a total of 720 MEPs. Malta is allotted six MEPs.

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EP seats per country for 2024 elections

Total to be elected 720

• 96 Germany
• 81 France
• 76 Italy
• 61 Spain
• 53 Poland
• 33 Romania
• 31 Netherlands
• 22 Belgium
• 21 Greece
• 21 Czechia
• 21 Sweden
• 21 Portugal
• 21 Hungary
• 20 Austria
• 17 Bulgaria
• 15 Denmark
• 15 Finland
• 15 Slovakia
• 14 Ireland
• 12 Croatia
• 11 Lithuania
• 9 Slovenia
• 9 Latvia
• 7 Estonia
• 6 Cyprus
• 6 Luxembourg
• 6 Malta