The history of European electoral reform and the Electoral Act 1976: Issues of democratisation and political legitimacy

This new study, which forms part of the European Parliament History Series, looks at the long process that led to the first direct European elections, and shows that the 1976 Act was a disputed issue in the national public spheres of the Member States.

After a first assessment of the 1979 elections, it analyses the strategy developed by the newly elected MEPs to establish a uniform electoral procedure. It finally examines the impact of the direct European elections on the EU political system itself as well as on its legitimation.

The studies in the European Parliament History Series are based on documents held and made available to the public by the Historical Archives of the European Parliament

European Parliament: Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union: Publications available via the EU Bookshop http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/directorate-general-for-internal-policies-of-the-union-cbf.cKABstF7wAAAEjwYYY4e5K/

European Parliament: European Parliamentary Research Service: Study, October 2016: The history of European electoral reform and the Electoral Act 1976: Issues of democratisation and political legitimacy http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/563516/EPRS_STU(2016)563516_EN.pdf

ESO: Background information: The European elections: EU legislation, national provisions and civic participation http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-european-elections-eu-legislation-national-provisions-and-civic-participation/

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