2004 European Parliament election

Voting Days	File:Eunion.png
Thursday 10 June	Netherlands, United Kingdom
Friday 11 June	Czech Republic, Ireland
Saturday 12 June	Czech Republic, Italy, Latvia, Malta
Sunday 13 June	Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden

Elections to the European Parliament were held from June 10, 2004 to June 13, 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. Votes were counted as the polls closed, but results were not announced until June 13 and 14 so results from one country would not influence voters in another where polls were still open; however, the Netherlands, voting on Thursday 10, announced nearly-complete provisional results as soon as they were counted, on the evening of its election day, a move heavily criticized by the European Commission.

Approximately 343 657 800 people were eligible to vote, the second-largest democratic electorate in the world after India. It was the biggest transnational direct election in history, and the 10 new member states elected MEPs for the first time. The new Parliament consists of 732 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Voting was in most cases by proportional voting, using the D'Hondt method for calculating the number of seats to be allocated to each party's candidate list. In Italy open lists are used; in Great Britain, closed lists are used; in Northern Ireland, there is the Single Transferable Vote.

Results overall show a general defeat of governing parties and an increase in representatives from eurosceptic parties. However, the balance of power in the Parliament remains similar despite the 10 new member states.

Results

At a glance

	EPP–ED	PES	ELDR	Greens/ EFA	EUL/ NGL	UEN	EDD	others⁶	total
before 2004 enlargement	232	175	52	45	49	23	17	32	625
after 2004 enlargement; outgoing	295 (37.4%)	232 (29.4%)	67 (8.5%)	47 (6.0%)	55 (7.0%)	30 (3.8%)	18 (2.3%)	44 (5.6%)	788 (100%)
immediately after election	277 (37.8%)	198 (27.0%)	68 (9.4%)	38 (5.2%)	39 (5.3%)	27 (3.7%)	15 (2.0%)	70 (9.6%)	732 (100%)
difference	-18 (+0.4%)	-34 (-2.4%)	+1 (+0.9%)	-9 (-0.8%)	-16 (-1.7%)	-3 (-0.1%)	-3 (-0.3%)	+26 (+4.0%)	-56
after grouping shuffle (19 July)	294	232	66	47	55	30	17	44	785

(source: [1] [2] [3] [4]) [5]

Detailed results

Party Country	EPP–ED	PES	ELDR	Greens/ EFA	EUL/ NGL	UEN	EDD	others⁶	seats	percentage of parliament	turnout
Austria	6	7	-	2	-	-	-	2+1	18	2.5%	42.4%
Belgium	4+1+1+1	4+3	3+2	1+1	-	-	-	3	24	3.3%	90.81%
Cyprus	2	-	1	-	2	-	-	1	6	0.8%	71.19%
Czech Republic	9+2	2	-	-	6	-	-	5	24	3.3%	28.32%
Denmark	1	5	3+1	-	1	1	1	1	14	1.9%	47.85%
Estonia	1	3	1+1	-	-	-	-	-	6	0.8%	26.89%
Finland	4	3	4+1	1	1	-	-	-	14	1.9%	41.1%
France	17+11	31	-	6	3	-	-	7+3	78	10.7%	43.1%
Germany⁸	40+9	23	7	13	7	-	-	-	99	13.5%	43.0%
Greece	11	8	-	-	3+1	-	-	1	24	3.3%	62.8%
Hungary	12+1	9	2	-	-	-	-	-	24	3.3%	38.47%
Ireland, Republic of	5	1	-	-	-	4	-	1+1+1	13	1.8%	61.0%
Italy	16+5+2 +1+1+1	12+2	5+2 +1+1	2	5+2	9	-	4+2+2 +1+1+1	78	10.7%	73.5%
Latvia	2+1	-	1	1	-	4	-	-	9	1.2%	41.23%
Lithuania	2+1	2	2+1	-	-	-	-	5	13	1.8%	48.2%
Luxembourg	3	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	6	0.8%	90.0%
Malta	2	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	0.7%	82.37%
Netherlands	7	7	4+1	2	2	-	2	2	27	3.7%	39.1%
Poland	15+4	5+3	4	-	-	7	-	10+6	54	7.4%	20.42%
Portugal	7	12	-	-	2	2	-	1	24	3.3%	38.7%
Slovakia	3+3+2	3	-	-	-	-	-	3	14	1.9%	16.96%
Slovenia	2+2	1	2	-	-	-	-	-	7	1.0%	28.25%
Spain⁷	24	24	1+1	1+1	2	-	-	-	54	7.4%	45.1%
Sweden	4+1	5	2+1	1	2	-	-	3	19	2.6%	37.2%
United Kingdom	27+1	19	12	2+1+2	-	-	12	1+1	78	10.7%	38.9%
total	277 37.8%	198 27.0%	68 9.3%	38 5.2%	39 5.3%	27 3.7%	15 2.0%	70 9.6%	732	100.0%	45.5%

¹ Due to calculation used to determine number of seats awarded to a party, the percentage of the vote will not exactly match the number of seats
⁶Includes parties which belong to N.I. group as well as newly elected parties which have not yet been able to select their grouping. May include more than one party and seats obtained will not be directly comparable with the party results shown.
⁷These are final results taken from the official website [6]
⁸These are final results taken from the official website [7]

Final results are also available from the official EU website.

New parties in the 2004 election

Voting in the election, in the Netherlands

In the United Kingdom, RESPECT The Unity Coalition was established to fight this election with the intention to use it as a springboard for a campaign against Tony Blair's government.

A European Union-wide political party, the European Greens, was established in Rome on 21 February 2004 to contest this election.

Swedish Junilistan (the June list) formed early in the year, meant to provide social democratic and right wing voters a EU sceptic alternative.

In the Netherlands Europa Transparant of Paul van Buitenen got two seats

Possible political group reshuffle after the 2004 election

The Parliament magazine [8] on 21 June 2004 and the newspaper European Voice [9] on 24 June 2004 both reported that the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party plans to create a new grouping by allying with the French party Union for French Democracy (in EPP-ED up to 2004) and the Italian Olive Tree coalition (in PES up to 2004); it also hopes to pick up Irish Fianna Fail (in UEN up to 2004) and Margherita Party (Italy) (in EPP-ED up to 2004) MEPs. On July 13 the group changed its name from ELDR to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, merging with the UDF, Margherita and other Italian members, and the Lithuanian Labour Party.