The 1994 European Parliamentary election was a European election held across the 12 European Union member states in June 1994.
This election saw the merge of the European People's Party and European Democrats, an increase in the overall number of seats (567 members were elected to the European Parliament) and a fall in overall turnout to 57%.
The five years which had passed since the previous election had seen enormous political upheavals across the continent. These changes included the end of communism in Europe, German reunification, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Velvet Divorce in Czechoslovakia and the breakup of Yugoslavia. The integration of five former East German states and Berlin into the Federal Republic of Germany had constituted the first physical expansion of the EC since 1986. The end of the Cold War meant three politically neutral states in Europe had begun a process of acceding to the EU that would culminate in the 1995 enlargement of the European Union. The EU itself had assumed its current name through adoption of the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993.
Results European Parliament election, 1994 - Final results at 18–21 July 1994GroupDescriptionChaired byMEPs PESSocial democratsPauline Green198 EPPConservatives and Christian democratsWilfried Martens157 ELDRLiberals and liberal democratsGijs De Vries 43 EULCommunists and the far leftAlonso José Puerta 28 FEConservatives and Christian democratsGiancarlo Ligabue 27 EDANational conservativesJean-Claude Pasty26 GGreensAlexander LangerClaudia Roth 23 ERARadicals, social liberals and regionalistsCatherine Lalumière 19 EN EuroscepticsJames Goldsmith19 NIIndependentsnone27Total: 567Sources: The Technical Group of the European Right no longer had enough MEPs to qualify as a Group, and its MEPs returned for the time being to the ranks of the independents. The members of the European Democrats joined the European People's Party (EPP), some as associate members such as the British Conservatives who did not wish to subscribe to the EPP's pro-federalist position. Despite the merger, the EPP failed one more to become the largest party; the Party of European Socialists once more claimed victory, with a 41-seat lead over the People's Party.
Forza Italia was elected for the first time in 1994; it formed its own shortlived group, Forza Europa, before this merged with the European Democratic Alliance a year after the election to become the Group Union for Europe. In addition to Forza Europa, another new group was founded following the fall of the European Right group: the Europe of Nations Group (Coordination Group)—the first Eurosceptic group in the Parliament, which lasted until 1996.
Results by country The national results as at 9–12 June 1994 are as follows:
GroupNationPESEPPELDREULFEEDAGERAENNITotalBelgium3 PS 3 SP4 CVP 2 PSC 1 CSP 3 VLD 3 PRL–FDF1 ECOLO 1 AGALEV 1 VU2 VB 1 FN25Denmark3 A3 C4 V 1 B1 SF2 J 2 N16France15 PS13 UDF1 UDF7 PCF14 RPR 13 MRG13 UDF diss.11 FN87Germany40 SPD39 CDU 8 CSU12 GRÜNE99Greece10 PASOK9 ND2 KKE 2 Synaspismos2 PA25Ireland1 Lab4 FG1 Ind.7 FF2 GP15Italy16 PDS 2 PSI8 PPI 3 Patto 1 SVP6 LN 1 PRI5 PRC27 FI3 FdV 1 Rete2 LP11 AN 1 PSDI 87Luxembourg2 LSAP2 CSV1 DP1 Gréng6Netherlands8 PvdA10 CDA6 VVD 4 D661 GL1 SGP 1 GPV31Portugal10 PS9 PSD3 CDU3 CDS–PP25Spain22 PSOE28 PP 2 CiU (UDC) 2 CN (EAJ)2 CiU (CDC)9 IU1 CN (CC)64United Kingdom62 LAB 1 SDLP18 CON 1 UUP2 LD2 SNP1 DUP87Total1981653528272623191927567
Statistics European Parliament election, 1994 - StatisticsAreaDatesSeatsElectorateTurnoutPreviousNextElection methodsSourcesEuropean Union(EU-12)9, 12 June1994567269,261,00056.8%19891995All PR, except UK (not NI)which used FPTP European Parliament election, 1994 - TimelineThird Parliament 1994 ElectionRegrouping Fourth ParliamentGroups Pre-electionsMay 30 ChangeResultsJune 13 ChangeResultsJuly 19 NewGroupsFirst sessionJuly 19 PES 198 +1 199 -1 198 PES 198 EPP 162 -14 148 +9 157 EPP 157 LDR 45 -2 43 +0 43 ELDR 43 LU 13 +0 13 +15 28 EUL 28 DR 12 +2 14 -14 27 NI 27 NI 27 +10 37 -10 Others0 +5959 -1319 EN19 27 FE 27 EDA 20 +4 24 +2 26 EDA 26 G 27 -5 22 +1 23 G 23 RBW 14 -6 8 +11 19 ERA 19Total 518 +49 567 +0 567Total 567Sources: European Parliament election, 1994 - Delegation at 19 July 1994GroupDescriptionDetails%MEPs PESSocial democratsGermany 40, Belgium 6, Denmark 3, France 15, Ireland 1, Italy 18, Luxembourg 2, Netherlands 8, UK 63, Greece 10, Spain 22, Portugal 1035%198 EPPConservatives and Christian democratsGermany 47, Belgium 7, Denmark 3, France 13, Ireland 4, Italy 12, Luxembourg 2, Netherlands 10, UK 19, Greece 9, Spain 30, Portugal 128%157 ELDRLiberals and liberal democratsBelgium 6, Denmark 5, France 1, Ireland 1, Italy 7, Luxembourg 1, Netherlands 10, UK 2, Spain 2, Portugal 88%43 EULSocialists and communistsFrance 7, Italy 5, Greece 4, Spain 9, Portugal 35%28 NIIndependentsBelgium 3, France 11, Italy 12, UK 15%27 FEConservatives and Christian democratsItaly 275%27 EDANational conservativesFrance 14, Ireland 7, Greece 2, Portugal 35%26 GGreensGermany 12, Belgium 2, Denmark 1, Ireland 2, Italy 4, Luxembourg 1, Netherlands 14%23 ERALiberals and liberal democratsBelgium 1, France 13, Italy 2, UK 2, Spain 13%19 ENEuroscepticsDenmark 4, France 13, Netherlands 23%19Sources: 100%567
Seat distribution
The number of seats in Parliament was increased from 518 to 567. The reason for this was the accession of the German Democratic Republic to the Federal Republic of Germany. The number of seats for the other larger states was also increased because the smaller states are entitled to a disproportionate number of seats compared to their population. National Distribution of SeatsState19891994State198919948199242581872425818724258187161660641515253166
Until 1996 the number of seats was further increased to 626 to accommodate Austria, Finland and Sweden who were joining, holding elections in 1995 and 1996. They were granted 21,16 and 22 seats respectively.
External links The election of the Members of the European Parliament European Navigator Full Election Details Europe Politique