European Parliament: Facts and Figures

This Briefing, published by the European Parliamentary Research Service, is designed to provide key facts and figures about the European Parliament, both today and in previous terms since direct elections were introduced in June 1979.

You will find graphics of various kinds which:

- detail the composition of the European Parliament now and in the past;
- trace the increase in the number of parties represented in the Parliament and show the evolution of political groups;
- chart the rise in the number of women sitting in the Parliament;
- explain the electoral systems used in elections to the Parliament across the Member States;
- show how turnout in European elections compares with that in national elections;
- summarise the activity of the Parliament in the term from 2009 to 2014;
- present the annual cost of the Parliament compared with other parliaments;
- outline the composition of the Parliament’s main governing bodies.

This is an updated version of a briefing published in November 2014 and will be further updated periodically.

Blog: EP: EPRS, 26.11.14: European Parliament: Facts And Figures http://epthinktank.eu/2014/11/26/european-parliament-facts-and-figures/

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