High-paid Italian MEPs ‘least likely to turn up’ report reveals

By Martin Banks

Date: 13/05/04

THE best-paid members of the European Parliament, the Italians, have also been the least diligent in attending major events, such as plenary sessions or votes, a study has unveiled.

Amid concerns over a historically low voter turnout at next month's elections for the European Parliament, a report by the University of Duisburg-Essen, in Germany, shows MEPs have not assiduously turned out for plenary debates or votes.

According to the study, the Italian members have also been the least assiduous during the past three years, with only one-in-two attending plenary sessions in Strasbourg or Brussels.

Just 56% of them took part in some 4,500 roll call votes in 1999-2003, despite Italians receiving the highest salary of almost €11,000 per month (the Spaniards, for instance, get just one-quarter of the sum).

The most diligent MEPs are those from Luxembourg, according to the study, with a presence of 85%, followed by the Dutch (84.9%), Finnish (83%), Germans (82.5%), Swedes (81.5%), Greeks (80.9%) and Belgians (80%).

The British, Danes, Portuguese, French and the Irish are the laggards, together with the Italians.

In addition, it emerges that deputies from the Socialist group in Parliament were at the top of plenary session attendance, followed by the Greens, the Liberals, centre-right European People's Party, Left parties and the non-attached.

A senior Parliament official has warned the Duisburg University study is "not good publicity for increasing voter turnout" in the 10-13 June European elections.

"If MEPs don't even bother to vote, or attend plenary sessions, why would the public feel encouraged to go to vote for them?" he said.

"It is also ironic that the best paid are also the most nonchalant about attending sessions," the official added.

Meanwhile, citizens have been urged to turn out and vote in the June poll.

Turnout has slumped from 63% in 1979, when direct elections were introduced, to a dismal 49% in 1999, with the latest Eurobarometer poll warning that participation this time round is set to fall even lower.

Just 34% of people in 'old' member states say they will definitely vote compared to an even lower 32% in new states, according to the poll.

The representatives of the Catholic Church in Brussels have said that people have "a moral duty" to vote.

The Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) has launched a campaign to boost voter turnout, warning against dismissing the Parliament as a "talking shop".

Professor Simon Hix, of the London School of Economics, says one of the possible reasons for poor turnout is that many people know little about the Parliament.

He however insists the vote would make a difference in the choice of policies for the Union.

"People should care, because the political composition of the next Parliament will be important.

"If it is Left-controlled, we can expect more social, environmental and industrial policies, while if the Right holds the balance of power, there will be more privatization and liberalization.

"The election is an opportunity for people to influence the European political agenda for the next five years."

Julian Priestley, Parliament's secretary-general, believes that less "introspection" over issues such as a European constitution might boost participation in the polls.

"I'm not sure that debate over the [constitutional] treaty, or who the next Commission president will be, is likely to drive people to vote in their millions," he said.

While admitting he was concerned about another poor turnout, Priestley insists it is up to political parties to address this.

A report by Germany's University of Duisburg-Essen reveals that Italian MEPs have a poor attendance record at major events such as plenary sessions or votes.