Strasbourg, 03/05/2022 – Today, the European Parliament approved a legislative initiative for new electoral rules to be applied to European elections. Pirate Party Members of the European Parliament strongly oppose the implementation of a highly undemocratic mandatory threshold. The minimum threshold of 3.5% for larger EU countries will result in millions of votes being nullified, which effectively dooms smaller parties in the EU.
Patrick Breyer, Member of the European Parliament for the German Pirate Party, comments:
“The proposed threshold is an attack on democracy. With the envisaged threshold of 3.5%, 3.1 million votes cast for six small parties in Germany would have been invalidated in the most recent European elections. This exceeds the total votes cast in the smallest 6 EU Member States! The small parties‘ parliamentary seats will fall into the hands of the political establishment which voters intended to oppose. Leaving millions of citizens who are disillusioned with the established parties no other choice will either drive them into the arms of authoritarian nationalists or make them turn their backs on democracy altogether. Both will damage our democracy and endanger the future of Europe. Europe needs to be more inclusive, not less.“
14 Member States have set thresholds by law. However, in two decisions, the German Constitutional Court declared the country’s existing thresholds for EU elections unconstitutional. After today’s vote, the proposal will be discussed by EU governments who will have the final say together with the Council.
Press contacts:
Nikolaus Riss for German and English nikolaus.riss@europarl.europa.eu +436769694000
Tomáš Polák for Czech and English tomas.polak@europarl.europa.eu +420728035059
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