European Parliament election, 1994
Encyclopedia
The 1994 European Parliamentary Election was a European election
held across the 12 European Union
member states in June 1994.
This election saw the merge of the European People's Party
and European Democrats
, an increase in the overall number of seats (567 members were elected to the European Parliament
) and a fall in overall turnout to 57%.
had joined the European People's Party
, some as associate members such as the British Conservatives
who did not wish to subscribe to the EPP's pro-federalist position. Despite the merger the EPP failed one more to become the largest party, with the Party of European Socialists
once more claiming victory with a 41 seat lead over the People's Party.
Elected in 1994 were Forza Italia
, who formed their own short lived group, Forza Europa
, before merging with the European Democratic Alliance a year after the election to become the Group Union for Europe. In addition to Forza Europa, another new group was founded following the fall of the European Right group: the Europe of Nations Group (Coordination Group) - the first Eurosceptic group in parliament, which lasted until 1996.
The number of seats was changed to accommodate Austria
, Finland
and Sweden
who were joining the following year, holding elections then. They were granted 21,16 and 22 seats respectively. The total number of seats increased from 518 to 567.
Elections in the European Union
Elections to the Parliament of the European Union take place every five years by universal adult suffrage. 736 MEPs are elected to the European Parliament which has been directly elected since 1979. No other body is directly elected although the Council of the European Union and European Council is...
held across the 12 European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
member states in June 1994.
This election saw the merge of the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
and European Democrats
European Democrats
The European Democrats was a loose association of conservative political parties in Europe. It is a political group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe...
, an increase in the overall number of seats (567 members were elected to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
) and a fall in overall turnout to 57%.
Results
The members of the European DemocratsEuropean Democrats
The European Democrats was a loose association of conservative political parties in Europe. It is a political group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe...
had joined the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
, some as associate members such as the British Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
who did not wish to subscribe to the EPP's pro-federalist position. Despite the merger the EPP failed one more to become the largest party, with the Party of European Socialists
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
once more claiming victory with a 41 seat lead over the People's Party.
Elected in 1994 were Forza Italia
Forza Italia
Forza Italia was a liberal-conservative, Christian democratic, and liberal political party in Italy, with a large social democratic minority, that was led by Silvio Berlusconi, four times Prime Minister of Italy....
, who formed their own short lived group, Forza Europa
Forza Europa
Forza Europa was a centre-right political group with seats in the European Parliament between 1994 and 1995.-History:MEPs from the highly heterogeneous liberal-conservative Forza Italia party, along with MEPs of the Christian Democratic Centre and the former Liberals of the Union of the Centre,...
, before merging with the European Democratic Alliance a year after the election to become the Group Union for Europe. In addition to Forza Europa, another new group was founded following the fall of the European Right group: the Europe of Nations Group (Coordination Group) - the first Eurosceptic group in parliament, which lasted until 1996.
Statistics
Seat distribution
|
The number of seats was changed to accommodate Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
who were joining the following year, holding elections then. They were granted 21,16 and 22 seats respectively. The total number of seats increased from 518 to 567.
External links
- The election of the Members of the European Parliament European Navigator Full Election Details Europe Politique