european parliament election, 2004

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 the United Kingdom, closed lists are used in England, Wales and Scotland but the Single Transferable Vote is used in Northern Ireland.

Voting Days !! 100px
hursday 10 June	\| Netherlands, United Kingdom
riday 11 June	\| Czech Republic, Ireland
aturday 12 June	\| Czech Republic, Italy, Latvia, Malta
unday 13 June	\| Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden

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

original groupings !!BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|EPP–ED!!BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|PES!!BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|ELDR!!BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|Greens/ EFA!!BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|EUL/ NGL!!BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|UEN!!BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|EDD!!BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|others⁶!!total
efore 2004 enlargement	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|232	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|175	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|52	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|45	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\| 49	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|23	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|17	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|32	625
fter 2004 enlargement; outgoing	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|295 (37.4%)	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|232 (29.4%)	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|67 (8.5%)	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|47 (6.0%)	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|55 (7.0%)	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|30 (3.8%)	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|18 (2.3%)	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|44 (5.6%)	788 (100%)
mmediately after election	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|277 (37.8%)	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|198 (27.0%)	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|68 (9.4%)	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|38 (5.2%)	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|39 (5.3%)	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|27 (3.7%)	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|15 (2.0%)	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|70 (9.6%)	732 (100%)
ifference	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|-18 (+0.4%)	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\| -34 (-2.4%)	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\| +1 (+0.9%)	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\| -9 (-0.8%)	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\| -16 (-1.7%)	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\| -3 (-0.1%)	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\| -3 (-0.3%)	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\| +26 (+4.0%)	-56
fter grouping shuffle (20 July, first day reconvening)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|268	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\| 199	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|88	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|42	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|41	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|27	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|33	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\| 33	731
ew groupings	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|EPP–ED	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|PES	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|ALDE	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|Greens/ EFA	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|EUL/ NGL	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|UEN	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|ID	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|N.I.	total

(source: http://www2.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade2?PUBREF=-//EP//TEXT+PRESS+BR-20040503-S+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&LEVEL=2&NAV=S http://www.elections2004.eu.int/system/galleries/pics/election-gallerie/hemi788.png http://www.elections2004.eu.int/results/en/ep_732_average.png http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/europe/2004/elections_2004/default.stm http://wwwdb.europarl.eu.int/ep6/owa/p_meps2.repartition)

Detailed results

arty Country	BGCOLOR="#ddddff" WIDTH="7%"\|EPP–ED	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd" WIDTH="7%"\|PES	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd" WIDTH="7%"\|ELDR	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd" WIDTH="7%"\|Greens/ EFA	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb" WIDTH="7%"\|EUL/ NGL	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff" WIDTH="7%"\|UEN	BGCOLOR="#faebd7" WIDTH="7%"\|EDD	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc" WIDTH="7%"\|others⁶	seats	percentage of parliament	turnout
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|6	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|7	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|2	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|2+1	18	2.5%	42.4%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|4+1+1+1	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\| 4+3	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\| 3+2	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\| 1+1	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|3	24	3.3%	90.81%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|2	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|2	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|1	6	0.8%	71.19%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|9+2	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|2	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|6	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|5	24	3.3%	28.32%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|5	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|3+1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|1	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|1	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|1	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|1	14	1.9%	47.85%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|3	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|1+1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|-	6	0.8%	26.89%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|4	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|3	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|4+1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|1	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|-	14	1.9%	41.1%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|17+11	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|31	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|6	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|3	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|7+3	78	10.7%	43.1%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|40+9	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|23	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|7	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|13	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|7	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|-	99	13.5%	43.0%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|11	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|8	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|3+1	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|1	24	3.3%	62.8%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|12+1	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|9	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|2	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|-	24	3.3%	38.47%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|5	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|1	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|4	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|1+1	13	1.8%	61.0%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|16+5+2 +1+1+1	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|12+2	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|5+2 +1+1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|2	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|5+2	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|9	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|4+2+2 +1+1+1	78	10.7%	73.5%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|2+1	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|4	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|-	9	1.2%	41.23%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|2+1	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|2	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|2+1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|5	13	1.8%	48.2%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|3	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|-	6	0.8%	90.0%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|2	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|3	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|-	5	0.7%	82.37%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|7	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|7	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|4+1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|2+2	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|2	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|2	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|	27	3.7%	39.1%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|15+4	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|5+3	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|4	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|7	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|10+6	54	7.4%	20.42%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|7	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|12	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|2	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|2	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|1	24	3.3%	38.7%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|3+3+2	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|3	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|3	14	1.9%	16.96%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|2+2	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|2	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|-	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|-	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|-	7	1.0%	28.25%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|24	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|24	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|1+1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|1+1	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|2	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|-	54	7.4%	45.1%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|4+1	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|5	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|2+1	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|1	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|2	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|-	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|3	19	2.6%	37.2%
(details)	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|27+1	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|19	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|12	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|2+1+2	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|1	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|-	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|12	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|1	78	10.7%	38.9%
otal	BGCOLOR="#ddddff"\|277 37.8%	BGCOLOR="#ffdddd"\|198 27.0%	BGCOLOR="#ffffdd"\|68 9.3%	BGCOLOR="#ddffdd"\|40 5.5%	BGCOLOR="#ffc0cb"\|39 5.3%	BGCOLOR="#e0ffff"\|27 3.7%	BGCOLOR="#faebd7"\|15 2.0%	BGCOLOR="#dcdcdc"\|68 9.3%	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 Non-Attached 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.
Final results are also available from the official EU website.

New parties in the 2004 election

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

Political group reshuffle after the 2004 election

Liberals: The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party created a new grouping by allying with MEPs from the French party Union for French Democracy (previously part of the EPP-ED), the Margherita Party (Italy) (previously part of the EPP-ED), other Italian members, the Lithuanian Labour Party and the Belgian MR-MCC (previously EPP-ED). The new allies formed the EDP and a new combined group, between the ELDR and the EDP, was formed with the name ALDE: the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.