FAQs - European elections

The next European elections will take place from 6 to 9 June 2024. Each EU country decides the date or dates during that period when the vote will take place.

All EU nationals can vote in EU elections. You can't vote in the European elections in more than one country. If your name is on the electoral roll in your home country, e.g. Austria, but you wish to vote in another, e.g. Germany, you need to express your intention to do so and to be put on the electoral roll in Germany.

Voting is compulsory in some countries. Please check the website of the national authorities.

Every EU country is free to set its own minimum national voting age. Currently, it's 16 in Austria, Germany and Malta, 17 in Greece, and 18 in all other countries. In Belgium, EU citizens can ask to vote in European elections from the age of 16.

Almost all EU countries allow their nationals to vote from abroad in European elections. In some countries, voters are required to register with their national electoral authorities to be eligible to vote from abroad (by post or at an embassy or consulate) while in others, postal votes may take place at embassies or consulates.

Please consult the national authorities in the relevant country.

No. You must choose one.

Every 5 years.

There are 720 MEPs, elected from across the 27 EU countries.

The number of seats per country takes into account the population in each EU country as well as the need for a minimum level of representation for European citizens from smaller countries. The minimum number of seats per country is 6 and the maximum is 96.

You can vote for candidates in either Belgium, Finland or the Netherlands – but only one of these. If you choose to vote for the Finnish or Dutch list, you will need to look at the practical arrangements for voting from abroad.

EU law prohibits voting more than once in a European election.
This law supersedes national laws on compulsory voting, in cases of dual nationality. That is, no EU country can force you to vote there if you have decided to vote in the other country where you hold nationality.

If you live outside the EU, you can usually vote in the EU elections in your home country's embassy or consulate, but your right to vote depends on the electoral rules in your home country.

You can't vote in the European elections in more than one country. If your name is on the electoral roll in your home country, Austria, but you wish to vote in Germany, you need to express your intention to do so and to be put on the electoral roll in Germany.

You can stand as a candidate in the EU elections if you are an EU national. You can stand as a candidate either for your country of origin or, if you live in another EU country, you can stand as a candidate there. You will be subject to the same conditions as the nationals of that country.

Each EU country has its own procedure for standing as a candidate. If you want to stand as a candidate in European elections when living in an EU country of which you are not a national, you have to submit the same supporting documents as candidates who are nationals.

Visit the European Parliament website. You can also contact Europe Direct.

Your Europe Advice offers personal advice on your EU rights, clarifies EU law as it applies to your particular situation and directs you to a body that can offer further assistance, if needed. Alternatively, SOLVIT can help when a public authority in another EU country does not respect your EU rights. They can contact the authority to work with them to solve your problem.