What are the Transnational Lists?

What is a transnational list (TNL)?

It is an electoral list that holds the entire territory of the Union as its constituency, rather than a member state or a region of a member state. The European constituency will exist in parallel to the existing national constituencies.

How does one vote for a TNL?

Each EU citizen will receive 2 votes. One vote to be cast on the lists in their national or regional constituency as is the case now, and one vote for the European constituency in which the voter can vote for a transnational list.

Who determines who is on a list?

The European political groups (ALDE, EPP, S&D, etc.) will establish their transnational lists of candidates and compete for the transnational seats in the EP.

How many transnational lists will there be?

Any European political party (or movement) that meets the criteria can set up a transnational list. The criteria will be based on the model of setting up a European political party.

How many seats will there be?

27 seats.

Where do these seats come from?

They come from the 73 seats that the UK will leave vacant after Brexit. This means that no member state will lose any seat.

Does TNL affect degressive proportionality?

No, the transnational seats are European seats and do not count for the distribution of seats among Member states.

Will all MEPs elected on this list come from the big Member States?

No. Lists will be geographically balanced to reflect the plurality of the European citizens.

Can you be a candidate on both your national list and the TNL?

Yes.

Who counts the votes?

The results will be counted by the competent national authorities and sent to an EU body that will verify and confirm the results.

Does TNL require treaty change?

No. The European Electoral Law will be the legal basis.

What will be the legislative process?

The EP has the right of initiative. The European Council will then have to decide, but will need the EP’s consent for its decision. EP will give its consent by a simple yes or no vote.

Following this Decision, the Commission will come with a proposal for the modalities and criteria for transnational lists.

Will TNL require change of national electoral laws?

No, it doesn’t affect national electoral law.

Does it create two classes of MEPS?

No, all MEPs will have exactly the same rights and obligations within the European Parliament, no additional powers or rights are created. Also, currently MEPs elected in different Member States already represent a different number of citizens. An additional constituency will not change this.

How does TNL related to the Spitzenkandidaten process?

The first candidate on each list will be the European political party’s Spitzenkandidat for the post of the President of the Commission. This will give all EU voters the possibility to vote for the Sptitzenkandidaten.