The 2026 elections in the European Union include national and regional elections in the EU member states. Nine of the twenty-seven member states (Slovenia, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Malta, Sweden, Latvia, Cyprus, and Spain) are set to elect new parliaments in 2026. Four (Portugal, Hungary, Estonia, and Bulgaria) will elect presidents.
National elections Parliamentary elections Hungary's parliamentary election received the largest media focus of all those elecitions, as prime minister Viktor Orbán and his national conservative Fidesz party faced a strong challenge from Péter Magyar and the more moderate Tisza Party. Orbán received criticism from the European Parliament as multiple research organizations described the country as being in a state of democratic backsliding. Politico Europe described the Hungarian election as the EU's most important election of 2026.
Member stateElectionParliament beforeHead of Government beforePartyEU PartyParliament afterHead of Government afterPartyEU PartySlovenia22 MarchRobert GolobJanez JanšaDenmark24 MarchMette FrederiksenMette FrederiksenHungary12 AprilViktor OrbánPéter MagyarBulgaria19 AprilAndrey Gyurov(Caretaker)Rumen RadevMalta30 MayRobert AbelaRobert AbelaSweden13 SeptemberUlf KristerssonLatvia3 OctoberAndris KulbergsSpain29 NovemberPedro Sánchez Partial parliamentary elections France, Senate: 2026 French Senate election, 27 September Czech Republic, Senate: 2026 Czech Senate election, 9–10 October
By-elections Italy, Chamber of Deputies: 2026 Italian by-elections, 22–23 March Ireland, Dáil Éireann: 2026 Galway West by-election, 2026 Dublin Central by-election
Legislative elections in presidential states Cyprus is notably the only EU member state with a strong presidential system where the president serves as both head of government and head of state. As a result, the Cypriot legislature does not elect a prime minister, and instead, its members select the President of the Cypriot House of Representatives to head the body. Member stateElectionLegislature beforeHead of Legislature beforePartyEU PartyParliament afterHead of Legislature afterPartyEU PartyCyprus24 MayAnnita DemetriouAnnita Demetriou
Presidential elections in parliamentary states Portugal and Bulgaria directly elect their presidents, while the presidents of Hungary and Estonia are elected indirectly by their respective parliaments, the National Assembly and the Riigikogu.
Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Bulgarian president Rumen Radev have each been elected twice and are constitutionally ineligible to serve third terms. Hungary's president, Tamás Sulyok, was forced from office by a constitutional amendment passed by the new government of Péter Magyar. Incumbent Estonian president Alar Karis was eligible for reelection, but he did not run for a second term and stated he wanted to see the office reformed. StateDatePresident beforePartyEU PartyPresident afterPartyEU PartyPortugal18 January8 FebruaryMarcelo Rebelo de SousaAntónio José SeguroHungary11 AugustTamás SulyokAndrás BakaEstonia2 SeptemberAlar KarisÜlle MadiseBulgaria25 OctoberIliana Iotova
Referendums 2026 Italian constitutional referendum, 22–23 March
Local elections Austria
2026 Graz local election, 28 June
Czechia
2026 Czech municipal elections, 9-10 October
Denmark
2026 Faroese general election, 26 March
France 2026 French municipal elections, 15 and 22 March 2026 French consular elections, 22 and 31 May
Germany 2026 Bavarian local elections, 8 March 2026 Hessian local elections, 8 March 2026 Baden-Württemberg state election, 8 March 2026 Rhineland-Palatinate state election, 22 March 2026 Saxony-Anhalt state election, 6 September 2026 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election, 20 September 2026 Berlin state election, 20 September
Italy 2026 Italian local elections, 24-25 May & 7-8 June
Netherlands 2026 Dutch municipal elections, 18 March
Spain 2026 Aragonese regional election 8 February 2026 Castilian-Leonese regional election, 15 March 2026 Andalusian regional election, 17 May
Sweden
2026 Swedish local elections, 13 September
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