It’s tempting to dismiss the European Parliament elections as the most important elections that don’t actually matter.
Hundreds of millions of voters across 27 nations will turn out this weekend to cast their ballots, but the European Parliament is the least powerful of the European Union institutions.
Its 720 members have limited powers, and, while a few are ascendant stars, a few are retired politicians, or even criminals.
The Parliament that emerges from these elections, weak though it may be, will serve as a brake or accelerator for the crucial policies that will help shape Europe’s immediate future.
In the five years since the last election, the bloc jointly bought Covid-19 vaccines and started a massive economic stimulus program to recover from the pandemic.
Organizations:
European Union
Locations:
Russia, Ukraine