Why the 2014 European Elections Matter: Ten Key Votes in the 2009-2013 European Parliament

Abstract:

The European Parliament elections in May 2014 will be the most important to date. With the new powers of the European Parliament under the Lisbon Treaty, a new majority will shape EU policies in many important areas, from regulation of the single market to the free movement of persons, international trade agreements, reform of the common agricultural policy, carbon taxes, and so on.

It will also be the first time the new majority will formally “elect” the Commission president.

In this analysis, leading EU scholar Simon Hix looks at how the political composition of the current parliament has shaped EU policies and how party-political coalitions have varied across policy areas. The author also highlights how the political make-up of the parliament and the types of coalitions determine EU policy outcomes on many salient issues.