The ninth European Parliament was elected during the 2019 elections and sat until the tenth European Parliament was sworn in on 16 July 2024.
Major events
23–26 May 2019 Elections to the 9th European Parliament. EPP (182 seats), S&D (154), RE (108), Greens/EFA (74), ID (73), ECR (62), GUE/NGL (41), others (54). 2 July 2019 First Session (constitutive session) of the 9th Parliament. Presiding officer (under Article 14(2) of the Rules): Antonio Tajani (EPP) of Italy, President of the Eighth Parliament. 3 July 2019 Election of the President and Vice-Presidents of Parliament for the first half of the parliamentary term. David Sassoli (S&D) of Italy is elected president, Mairead McGuinness (EPP) of Ireland is elected First Vice-President. 16 July 2019 Vote on 3 July 2019 EUCO proposal for President of the European Commission. Ursula von der Leyen (EPP) of Germany is elected President of the European Commission. 30 September-8 October 2019 Hearings of candidates for European Commissioners. Additional hearings, if needed, would take place on 14 and 15 October 2019. 31 October 2019 (postponed) Original scheduled date for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union, but has been agreed to be postponed for 3 months. As Brexit is further postponed, the UK will have to nominate a candidate for a European Commissioner. 27 November 2019Parliament elects new European Commission (infographic) Confirmation vote on the Von der Leyen Commission. 1 December 2019 New European Commission takes office. 31 January 2020 The United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union, subsequently resulting in a reduction in the number of seats in the European Parliament from 751 to 705. 12 November 2020 Roberta Metsola (EPP) of Malta is elected First Vice-President, replacing Mairead McGuinness who has taken the role of European Commissioner. 16 December 2020 Approval of the seven-year budget 2021-2027 of the EU. Decision on keeping an eye on how Next Generation EU funds are spent.Parliament approves seven-year EU budget 2021-2027 Retrieved 23 December 2020. 11 January 2022 Death in office of President David Sassoli. First Vice-President Roberta Metsola takes the role of Acting President of the European Parliament till the election of a new president. 18 January 2022 Election of the President and Vice-Presidents of Parliament for the second half of the parliamentary term. Roberta Metsola (EPP) of Malta is elected president, Othmar Karas (EPP) of Austria is elected First Vice-President
Leadership
The President of the European Parliament is chosen through the votes of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and serves a term lasting 2.5 years, with the option for re-election. The responsibilities of the president encompass a diverse array of functions, including presiding over debates and representing the European Parliament in its interactions with other institutions within the European Union.Fourteen Vice Presidents are elected through a single ballot process, requiring an absolute majority of cast votes for their selection. In situations where the number of successful candidates falls below 14, a second round of voting is conducted to allocate the remaining positions following identical conditions. Should a third round of voting become necessary, a simple majority suffices to occupy the remaining seats. The precedence of Vice Presidents is established by the order in which they are elected, and in cases of a tie, seniority is determined by age. During each round of voting, MEPs have the capacity to cast votes for as many candidates as there are available seats for that particular round. However, they are obligated to vote for more than half of the total positions to be filled.
First Half President: David Sassoli Vice Presidents: Mairead McGuinness Rainer Wieland Othmar Karas Ewa Kopacz Lívia Járóka Pedro Silva Pereira Katarina Barley Klára Dobrev Dita Charanzová Nicola Beer Heidi Hautala Marcel Kolaja Dimitrios Papadimoulis Fabio Massimo Castaldo
Second Half President: Roberta Metsola Vice Presidents Othmar Karas Ewa Kopacz Rainer Wieland Pina Picierno Pedro Silva Pereira Eva Kaili Evelyn Regner Katarina Barley Dita Charanzová Michal Šimečka Nicola Beer Roberts Zīle Dimitrios Papadimoulis Heidi Hautala
Elections of the Quaestors 4 July 2019 election The five Quaestors were chosen by acclamation.
CandidateGroupVotesAnne SanderMonika BeňováDavid CasaGilles BoyerKarol KarskiSource: European Parliament News
20 January 2022 election Four Quaestors were elected on the first round of voting, with the fifth being elected on the second round of voting.
CandidateGroupRemote Votes1st Round2nd RoundAnne SanderChristophe HansenMonika BeňováFabienne KellerMarcel Kolaja277Karol Karski 321 324Votes cast676668Votes needed for election339335Blank or void12n/aVoted688n/aSource: European Parliament News
Political groups and parties
There were 7 political groups in the parliament, one fewer than the previous parliament. Each MEP could belong to only one group. Political groups could be founded by at least 25 MEPs which came from at least one quarter of all EU member states (namely seven).
Situation before and after Brexit +Political groupMEPsPre-BrexitPost-BrexitEPPGroup of the European People's Party- 5S&DGroup of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament- 7RenewRenew Europe Group 10IDIdentity and Democracy Group 3G/EFAGroup of the Greens/European Free Alliance 7ECREuropean Conservatives and Reformists 1GUE/NGLThe Left in the European Parliament 2NINon-Inscrits 25VacantJeppe Kofod did not take his seat as he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. His resignation from the MEP seat was effective on 2 July 2019. The seat will be taken up by Marianne Vind.41 46
Members
List of members
MEPs that previously served as president or Prime Minister: Andrus Ansip of Estonia: Prime Minister (2005–2014) Traian Băsescu of Romania: President (2004–2014) Marek Belka of Poland: Prime Minister (2004–2005) Silvio Berlusconi of Italy: Prime Minister (1994–1995, 2001–2006, 2008–2011) Jerzy Buzek of Poland: Prime Minister (1997–2001) Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz of Poland: Prime Minister (1996–1997) Dacian Cioloș of Romania: Prime Minister (2015–2017) Ewa Kopacz of Poland: Prime Minister (2014–2015) Andrius Kubilius of Lithuania: Prime Minister (1999–2000, 2008–2012) Leszek Miller of Poland: Prime Minister (2001–2004) Alfred Sant of Malta: Prime Minister (1996–1998) Sergei Stanishev of Bulgaria: Prime Minister (2005–2009) Beata Szydło of Poland: Prime Minister (2015–2017) Mihai Tudose of Romania: Prime Minister (2017–2018) Guy Verhofstadt of Belgium: Prime Minister (1999–2008)
MEPs that previously served as European Commissioner: Andrus Ansip of Estonia: Vice President, Digital Single Market (2014–2019) Dacian Cioloș of Romania: Agriculture and Rural Development (2010–2014) Corina Crețu of Romania: Regional Policy (2014–2019) Danuta Hübner of Poland: Trade (2004), Regional Policy (2004–2009) Sandra Kalniete of Latvia: Agriculture and Fisheries (2004) Janusz Lewandowski of Poland: Financial Programming and the Budget (2010–2014) Antonio Tajani of Italy: Transport (2008–2010), Industry and Entrepreneurship (2010–2014)
MEPs that previously served as presiding officer of a national parliament: Vasile Blaga of Romania: President of the Senate (2011–2012) Milan Brglez of Slovenia: Speaker of the National Assembly (2014–2018) Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz of Poland: Marshal of the Sejm (2005) Eero Heinäluoma of Finland: Speaker of Parliament (2011–2015) Vangelis Meimarakis of Greece: Speaker of Parliament (2012–2015) Radosław Sikorski of Poland: Marshal of the Sejm (2014–2015)
MEPs that previously served as President of the European Parliament: Jerzy Buzek of Poland: President (2009–2012) Antonio Tajani of Italy: President (2017–2019)
MEPs that previously served as foreign minister: Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz of Poland: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2001–2005) Anna Fotyga of Poland: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006–2007) José Manuel García-Margallo of Spain: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (2011–2016) Marina Kaljurand of Estonia: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2015–2016) Sandra Kalniete of Latvia: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2002–2004) Sven Mikser of Estonia: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2016–2019) Urmas Paet of Estonia: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2005–2014) Tonino Picula of Croatia: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2000–2003) Radosław Sikorski of Poland: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007–2014) Witold Waszczykowski of Poland: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2015–2018)
Seat allocations When the United Kingdom left the EU, 27 seats were reallocated to the other member states and the other 46 seats were abolished, for a total of 705 MEPs.
Member stateSeats Pre Brexit (2019–2020)Seats Post Brexit (2020–2024)Post Brexitchange1819 12121 01717 01112 166 02121 01314 167 11314 17479 59696 02121 02121 01113 27376 388 01111 066 066 02629 35152 12121 03233 11314 188 05459 52021 1730 73Total751705 46
Post-Brexit political groups membership changes +Member statePolitical groupsMEPsEPP(EPP)S&D(PES)RE(ALDE, EDP)ECR(ECR, ECPM)GUE/NGL(EL, NGLA, EACL)G/EFA(EGP, EFA)ID(ID)NI Austria +1 (Grüne) +1 Croatia +1 (SDP) +1 Denmark +1 (V) +1 France +1 (PS) +1 (LREM)+1 (PD) +1 +1 (RN) +5 Estonia +1 (PP) +1 Finland +1 (VIHR) +1 Ireland +1 (FG) +1 (FF) +2 Italy +1 (FI) +1 (FdI) +1 (LN) +3 Netherlands +1(VVD) +1 (FvD) +1 (PVV) +3 Poland +1 (PiS) +1 Romania +1 (PSD) +1 Slovakia +1 (KDH) +1 Spain +1 (PP) +1 (PSOE) +1 (C's) +1 (VOX) +1 (JxCat) +5 Sweden +1 (MP) +1 United Kingdom -10 (Lab) -16 (LibDem)-1 (Alliance Party) -4 (Con) -1 (SF) -7 (Green)-3 (SNP)-1 (PC) -1 (DUP)-29 (Brexit Party)-73Total+5-6-110-1-7+3-29MEPsEPPS&DREECRGUE/NGLG/EFAIDNI
Former members +GroupNameStateMEP untilReasonSourceAndré Bradford18 July 2019DeathRoberto Gualtieri5 September 2019Named Minister of Economy and Finances of ItalyAdina-Ioana Vălean1 December 2019Approved as European Commissioner for TransportDubravka Šuica1 December 2019Approved as European Commission VP for Democracy and DemographyNicolas Schmit1 December 2019Approved as European Commissionioner for Jobs and Social RightsMairead McGuinness12 October 2020Approved as European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets UnionDavid Sassoli11 January 2022DeathSilvio Berlusconi12 October 2022To take up seat in the Italian Senate
Elected MEPs that did not take the seat +GroupNameStateReasonSourceFrans TimmermansRemained European Commissioner for the NetherlandsMariya GabrielRemained European Commissioner for BulgariaValdis DombrovskisRemained European Commissioner for Latvia
Working bodies Standing committees MEPs are divided up among 20 standing committees. Each MEP is usually member of one committee and a substitute member of another. Committees discuss legislative proposals from the commission before the European Parliament decides on them in plenary session. The European Parliament has an equal role to the Council of the EU in the ordinary legislative procedure, which is usually used in decision-making process at the EU level.
Each committee elects its chair and vice chairs to lead the work of the committee. Committee chairs are members of the Conference of Committee Chairs, which coordinates the work of all the committees.