In the draft report, endorsed on Wednesday with 19 votes for, two against, and two abstentions, MEPs demand efforts to increase voter turnout in the 6-9 June 2024 elections, especially among mobile citizens –those living in a different member state to the one of their nationality-, and call on the Council to move quickly towards adopting the new European electoral law.

They regret that recently proposed innovations for mobile citizens will not be applied in time for next year’s elections, as well as restrictions preventing European political parties from fully participating in European election campaigns.

The report demands that democratic standards be applied when candidates are being nominated, including lead candidates for President of the European Commission. European political parties should announce their candidates for the top Commission job at least twelve weeks before election day.

MEPs also call for the new rules on political parties and foundations and political advertising –both currently under negotiation between Parliament and the Council- to be in place for the 2024 electoral campaign.

The lead candidate system in 2024

MEPs complain that the lead candidate system to elect the European Commission President was not applied in 2019 and insist that a clear and credible link between voters’ choice and this position is needed. They highlight that, based on the Treaties, this election depends on securing a majority in Parliament and call on the European Council to stop the practice of striking deals behind closed doors.

The draft report calls for an agreement between Parliament and the European Council to ensure that the lead candidates, jointly with the presidents of the European political parties and of their respective parliamentary groups, engage in negotiations immediately after the European elections to put forward a common candidate, before the European Council can make a proposal.

The lead candidate of the European political party with the most seats in Parliament should lead in the first round of negotiations, with Parliament’s President steering the process if needed. In the absence of a common candidate, the President of the European Council should engage in consultations with the political leadership mentioned above prior to putting forward a proposal.