The New European Parliament: Perspectives, Challenges and Tribulations

With 43.2% the European Parliamentary elections in June 2009 had the lowest turnout ever in EU history, providing the EP with a weak mandate. The biggest winner was the centre-right EPP-ED party who, with almost 36% of all 736 seats, is by far the single largest group despite the withdrawal of the UK Conservative party from the group. The EPP now holds as many seats as the centre-left PES and liberal ALDE groups put together. The balance of power has clearly shifted to the right. The Greens succeeded in increasing their presence from 43 to 53 seats which makes them currently the fourth-largest group. Right-wing, Eurosceptic and populist parties were successful in Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK. Times of easy political deals between the two “political elephants”, the Christian-Democrats and the Socialists, are over due to the defeat of the latter and a further fragmentation of the political scene. Other coalitions of the willing will have to be found to drive decisions forth. How efficient can the new European Parliament be? What role can the Greens play? Will the increase of Eurosceptic representatives undermine the functioning and the credibility of the European Parliament? And what impact will the constellation of the EP have on the new Commission?