2004 European Parliament election

The 2004 European Parliament election was held between 10 and 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. The European Parliamental parties could not be voted for, but elected national parties aggregated in European Parliamental parties after the elections.

2004 European Parliament election

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All 732 seats to the European Parliament 367 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	45.47%[1] 4.04 pp
Leader Hans-Gert Pöttering Martin Schulz Graham Watson Alliance EPP–ED PES ALDE Leader's seat Germany Germany South West England Last election 232 seats, 37.1% 180 seats, 28.8% 50 seats, 8.0% Seats before 295 232 67 Seats won 268 200 88 Seat change 36 20 38   Leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit Monica Frassoni Francis Wurtz Nigel Farage Jens-Peter Bonde Alliance Greens/EFA GUE/NGL IND/DEM Leader's seat Germany North-West Italy Île-de-France South East England Denmark Last election 48 seats, 7.7% 42 seats, 6.7% 16 seats, 2.6% Seats before 47 55 18 Seats won 42 41 37 Seat change 6 1 21
Post-election composition of each member state's delegation
President of the European Parliament before election Pat Cox ELDR President of the European Parliament after election Josep Borrell PES

Votes were counted as the polls closed, but results were not announced until 13 and 14 June 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.

342 million 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 (6th) Parliament consisted of 732 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

Results showed a general defeat of governing parties and an increase in representatives from eurosceptic parties. No majority was achieved. The balance of power in the Parliament remained the same (largest party EPP-ED, second largest PES) despite the 10 new member states.

Following the 2004 enlargement of the European Union which was finalized on 1 May 2004, this was the first European Parliament election to be held in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Results

European Parliament election, 2004 - Final results on 20 July 2004
Group		Description	Chaired by	MEPs
	EPP-ED	Conservatives and Christian democrats	Hans-Gert Pöttering	268
	PES	Social democrats	Martin Schulz	200
	ALDE	Liberals and liberal democrats	Graham Watson	88
	G–EFA	Greens and regionalists	Daniel Cohn-Bendit Monica Frassoni	42
	EUL–NGL	Democratic socialists and communists	Francis Wurtz	41
	ID	Eurosceptics	Jens-Peter Bonde Nigel Farage	37
	UEN	National conservatives	Brian Crowley Cristiana Muscardini	27
	NI	Independents and far right	none	29	Total: 732	Sources: Archived 27 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine

Seats summary

EPP–ED			36.61%
PES			27.32%
ALDE			12.02%
G–EFA			5.74%
GUE/NGL			5.60%
ID			5.05%
UEN			3.69%
NI			3.96%

Statistics

European Parliament election, 2004 - Statistics
Area	European Union (EU-25)	Sources
Dates	Thursday 10 June: Netherlands, United Kingdom, Friday 11 June: Czech Republic, Ireland Saturday 12 June: Czech Republic, Italy, Latvia, Malta Sunday 13 June: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
Seats	732
Candidates	over 14,600
Electorate	342 million	Archived 12 December 2007 at archive.today
Turnout	45.6%
Previous	1999 European Parliament election	n/a
Next	2009 European Parliament election	n/a
Election methods	All proportional representation.
Preference voting allowed?	Yes, via open list: Austria, Belgium, Lithuania, Luxembourg (with panachage), Netherlands, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden. Yes, via STV: Ireland, Malta, United Kingdom (NI only) No: the rest
Cutoff?	5%: Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia 4%: Austria, Sweden 3%: Greece none: the rest
Seat allocation	Sainte-Laguë method: Latvia, Sweden STV method: Ireland, Malta, United Kingdom (NI only) Highest averages method: France Largest remainder method: Italy Pro-rata: Greece Droop method: Slovakia Hare-Niemeyer method: Germany Hare-Niemeyer method and D'Hondt method: Poland D'Hondt method: the rest
Constituency boundaries	Member state subdivided into multiple constituencies: Belgium (3), France (8), Ireland (4), Italy (5), Poland (13), United Kingdom (12) Mixture: Germany (candidate lists at Länder or national level) Member state as single constituency: the rest
Minimum voting age	18
Presidential election	First round: Josep Borrell, 388 votes; Bronisław Geremek, 208 votes; Francis Wurtz, 51 votes Josep Borrell, having achieved a majority of valid votes in the first round, was elected President of the European Parliament

European Parliament election, 2004 - Timeline
Fifth Parliament				2004 Election		Regrouping		Sixth Parliament
Groups		Pre-enlargement April 30	Pre-elections May 5	Change	Results June 30	Change	Results July 20	New Groups		First session July 20
	EPP-ED	232	295	-16	279	-11	268		EPP-ED	268
	PES	175	232	-33	199	+1	200		PES	200
	ELDR	52	67	0	67	+21	88		ALDE	88
	G/EFA	45	47	-7	40	+2	42		G/EFA	42
	EUL-NGL	49	55	-16	39	+2	41		EUL-NGL	41
	EDD	18	18	-3	15	+22	37		ID	37
	NI	32	44	22	66	-37	29		NI	29
	UEN	23	30	-3	27	0	27		UEN	27
Total		626	788	-56	732	0	732	Total		732
Sources: Archived 27 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine

European Parliament election, 2004 - Delegation at 20 July 2004
Group		Description	Details	%	MEPs
	EPP-ED	Conservatives and Christian democrats	Germany 49, Belgium 6, Denmark 1, France 17, Ireland 5, Italy 24, Luxembourg 3, Netherlands 7, UK 28, Greece 11, Spain 24, Portugal 9, Austria 6, Finland 4, Sweden 5, Cyprus 3, Estonia 1, Hungary 13, Latvia 3, Lithuania 2, Malta 2, Poland 19, Czech Republic 14, Slovakia 8, Slovenia 4	37%	268
	PES	Social democrats	Germany 23, Belgium 7, Denmark 5, France 31, Ireland 1, Italy 16, Luxembourg 1, Netherlands 7, UK 19, Greece 8, Spain 24, Portugal 12, Austria 7, Finland 3, Sweden 5, Estonia 3, Hungary 9, Lithuania 2, Malta 3, Poland 8, Czech Republic 2, Slovakia 3, Slovenia 1	27%	200
	ALDE	Liberals and liberal democrats	Germany 7, Belgium 6, Denmark 4, France 11, Ireland 1, Italy 12, Luxembourg 1, Netherlands 5, UK 12, Spain 2, Finland 5, Sweden 3, Cyprus 1, Estonia 2, Hungary 2, Latvia 1, Lithuania 7, Poland 4, Slovenia 2	12%	88
	G/EFA	Greens and regionalists	Germany 13, Belgium 2, Denmark 1, France 6, Italy 2, Luxembourg 1, Netherlands 4, UK 5, Spain 3, Austria 2, Finland 1, Sweden 1, Latvia 1	6%	42
	EUL/NGL	Left-wing group	Germany 7, Denmark 1, France 3, Ireland 1, Italy 7, Netherlands 2, UK 1, Greece 4, Spain 1, Portugal 3, Finland 1, Sweden 2, Cyprus 2, Czech Republic 6	6%	41
	IND/DEM	Eurosceptics	Denmark 1, France 3, Ireland 1, Italy 4, Netherlands 2, UK 11, Greece 1, Sweden 3, Poland 10, Czech Republic 1	5%	37
	NI	Independents	Belgium 3, France 7, Italy 4, UK 2, Austria 3, Poland 6, Czech Republic 1, Slovakia 3	4%	29
	UEN	National conservatives	Denmark 1, Ireland 4, Italy 9, Latvia 4, Lithuania 2, Poland 7	4%	27
Sources:				100%	732

Results by country

The national results as at 21 July 2004 are as follows:

Party group Country	EPP-ED	PES	ELDR	Greens-EFA	EUL-NGL	ID	UEN	others	MEPs	%	Turnout
Austria	6 (ÖVP)	7 (SPÖ)		2 (GRÜNE)				2 (Martin) 1 (FPÖ)	18	2.5%	42.43%
Belgium	4 (CD&V/N-VA) 1 (CDH) 1 (CSP)	4 (PS) 3 (SP.A)	3 (VLD) 3 (MR)	1 (Groen!) 1 (Ecolo)				3 (VB)	24	3.3%	90.81%
Cyprus	2 (DISY) 1 (GTE)		1 (DIKO)		2 (AKEL)				6	0.8%	71.19%
Czech Republic	9 (ODS) 2 (SNK)[a] 2 (KDU–ČSL) 1 (ED)[a]	2 (ČSSD)			6 (KSČM)	1 (Ind.)		1 (Ind.)	24	3.3%	28.32%
Denmark	1 (C)	5 (S)	3 (V) 1 (B)	1 (SF)	1 (N)	1 (J)	1 (DF)		14	1.9%	47.9%
Estonia	1 (IL)	3 (SDE)	1 (K) 1 (ER)						6	0.8%	26.83%
Finland	4 (Kok.)	3 (SDP)	4 (Kesk.) 1 (SFP)	1 (Vihr.)	1 (VAS)				14	1.9%	41.1%
France	17 (UMP)	31 (PS)	11 (UDF)	6 (Verts)	3 (PCF)	3 (MPF)		7 (FN)	78	10.7%	42.76%
Germany	40 (CDU) 9 (CSU)	23 (SPD)	7 (FDP)	13 (GRÜNE)	7 (PDS)				99	13.5%	43.0%
Greece	11 (ND)	8 (PASOK)			3 (KKE) 1 (Synaspismós)	1 (LAOS)			24	3.3%	63.4%
Hungary	12 (FIDESZ) 1 (MDF)	9 (MSZP)	2 (SZDSZ)						24	3.3%	38.5%
Ireland	5 (FG)	1 (LAB)	1 (Ind.)		1 (SF)	1 (Ind.)	4 (FF)		13	1.8%	59.7%
Italy	16 (FI) 5 (UDC) 1 (SVP) 1 (UDEUR) 1 (PP)	12 (DS)[b] 2 (SDI)[b] 2 (Ind.)[b]	7 (DL)[b] 2 (LB) 2 (IdV) 1 (MRE)[b]	2 (FdV)	5 (PRC) 2 (PdCI)	4 (LN)	9 (AN)	2 (SUE) 1 (AS) 1 (FT)	78	10.7%	73.1%
Latvia	2 (JL) 1 (TP)		1 (LC)	1 (PCTVL)			4 (TB/LNNK)		9	1.2%	41.34%
Lithuania	2 (TS)	2 (LSDP)	5 (DP) 2 (LiCS)				1 (VNDPS) 1 (LDP)		13	1.8%	48.38%
Luxembourg	3 (CSV)	1 (LSAP)	1 (DP)	1 (Gréng)					6	0.8%	90.0%
Malta	2 (PN)	3 (PL)							5	0.7%	82.37%
Netherlands	7 (CDA)	7 (PvdA)	4 (VVD) 1 (D66)	2 (GL) 2 (ET)	2 (SP)	2 (CU-SGP)			27	3.7%	39.3%
Poland	15 (PO) 4 (PSL)	5 (SLD) 3 (SDPL)	4 (UW)			10 (LPR)	7 (PiS)	6 (SRP)	54	7.4%	20.87%
Portugal	7 (PSD) 2 (CDS-PP)	12 (PS)			2 (PCP)[c] 1 (BE)				24	3.3%	38.6%
Slovakia	3 (SDKÚ) 3 (KDH) 2 (MKP)	3 (SMER)						3 (ĽS-HZDS)	14	1.9%	16.96%
Slovenia	2 (NSi) 2 (SDS)	1 (ZLSD)	2 (LDS)						7	1.0%	28.3%
Spain	24 (PP)	24 (PSOE)	1 (CDC)[d] 1 (EAJ)[d]	1 (Verdes)[e] 1 (ICV)[f] 1 (ERC)[g]	1 (IU)[f]				54	7.4%	45.1%
Sweden	4 (M) 1 (KD)	5 (SAP)	2 (FP) 1 (C)	1 (MP)	2 (V)	3 (JL)			19	2.6%	37.8%
United Kingdom[h]	27 (CON) 1 (UUP)	19 (LAB)	12 (LD)	2 (GPEW) 2 (SNP) 1 (PC)	1 (SF)	11 (UKIP)		1 (UKIP) 1 (DUP)	78	10.7%	38.9%
Total	268	200	88	42	41	37	27	29	732	100.0%	45.6%

1. Within the SNK-ED coalition
2. Within the Olive Tree coalition
3. Within the CDU coalition
4. Within the Galeusca coalition
5. Included in the PSOE list following an agreement between both parties
6. Within the IU-ICV-EUiA coalition
7. Within the EdP coalition
8. Including Gibraltar (details)

Results by EU party (2004 estimated result)

The estimated votes by EU party are as follows:

European Parliament Election 2004

estimated votes byEU party

Group		Votes	% Votes	Seats	+/-	Party/Subgroup		Votes	% Votes	Seats	+/-
	EPP-ED	52,534,612	34.0%	277			EPP	44,670,810	28.9%	227
							ED	5,189,196	3.4%	37
							Independents	2,674,606	1.7%	13
	PES	37,271,453	24.1%	198			PES	36,716,593	23.8%	193
							Independents	554,860	0.4%	5
	ELDR	13,732,594	8.9%	66			ELDR	10,835,213	7.0%	59
							Independents	2,897,381	1.9%	7
	EUL/NGL	9,999,413	6.5%	41			PEL	5,512,904	3.6%	17
							NGLA1	623,401	0.4%	4
							EACL²	529,782	0.3%	0
							Independents	3,333,327	2.2%	20
	G/EFA	9,742,287	6.3%	40			EGP	8,290,609	5.4%	33
							EFA	946,834	0.6%	4
							Independents	504,844	0.3%	3
	NI	13,745,847	8.9%	68			Independents	13,745,847	8.9%	68
	UEN	6,141,614	4.0%	27			UEN	6,141,614	4.0%	27
	EDD	3,611,803	2.3%	15			ECPM3	341,895	0.2%	1
							Independents	3,269,908	2.1%	14
Not elected		7,094,142	4.6%	0		Not elected		7,094,142	4.6%	0
Total		154,317,718	100%	732		Total		154,317,718	100%	732

Registered voters: 353,460,958 (est.)
Votes cast: 154,317,718 (43.66%) (est.)
Total seats: 732

Notes

1. The figures for the Nordic Green Left Alliance and the European Anticapitalist Left include only those members that are not full members of the Party of the European Left.
2. See above.

3. The figures for the European Christian Political Movement exclude a number of members who hold concurrent membership of the European Peoples Party.

Notes on accuracy:

• These estimated voting figures, using the believed configurations of EU groupings at the time of the 2004 elections, have been compiled by totalling national party figures, using official results where they are available.
• Where national lists are alliances between more than one political party, attempts have been made to divide that list proportionally, using preferential voting totals where available and, in other circumstances, dividing vote totals equally between candidates (if party membership available) or the MEPs elected (if not).

Results by EU party (2007 notional result)

The notional results by EU party as at 8 January 2007 are as follows:

European Parliament Election 2004: Estimated notional results, January 2007

Group		Votes	% Votes	Seats	+/-	Party/Subgroup		Votes	% Votes	Seats	+/-
	EPP-ED	52,567,771	34.1%	277	0		EPP	46,183,932	27.5%	232	+5
							ED1	5,628,052	3.3%	39	+2
							Independents	755,786	1.6%	6	−7
	PES	43,327,099	25.8%	218	+20		PES	41,598,383	24.7%	211	+18
							Independents	1,728,716	1.0%	7	+2
	ALDE	21,375,247	12.7%	106	+40		ELDR	14,106,116	8.4%	76	+17
							EDP	6,037,453	3.6%	25	+25
							Independents	1,231,678	0.7%	5	−2
	EUL/NGL	9,873,587	5.9%	41	0		PEL	6,842,489	4.1%	28	+10
							NGLA²	623,401	0.4%	4	0
							EACL3	345,962	0.2%	0	0
							Independents	2,061,735	1.2%	9	−10
	G/EFA	10,182,153	6.1%	42	+2		EGP	8,457,969	5.0%	33	0
							EFA	1,277,042	0.8%	6	+2
							Paul van Buitenen	174,578	0.1%	1
							Independents	272,564	0.2%	2	−1
	NI	10,218,366	6.1%	14	-54		Hans-Peter Martin	262,272	0.2%	1	1
							Roger Helmer	185,681	0.1%	1	1
							Jim Allister	175,761	0.1%	1	1
							Independents	1,658,374	1.0%	11	−57
	UEN	8,934,925	5.3%	44	+17		AEN	5,457,115	3.2%	26	+26
							EUD4	547,318	0.3%	5	+5
							Independents	2,980,491	1.8%	13	−14
	IND/DEM	5,265,991	3.1%	23	+8		ADIE5	1,687,718	1.0%	7	7
							ECPM6	341,895	0.2%	1	0
							EUD7	294,887	0.2%	2	2
							Independents	2,941,491	1.7%	13	−1
	ITS	6,135,671	3.6%	20	0		Euronat8	5,465,545	3.2%	17	0
							Ashley Mote	215,556	0.1%	1	0
							Independents	454,570	0.3%	2	0
Not elected		8,107,746	4.8%	0		Not elected		8,107,746	4.8%	0
Total		168,222,513	100%	785	+53	Total		168,222,513	100%	785	+53

Registered voters: 378,106,633 (est.)
Votes cast: 168,317,718 (44.49%) (est.)
Total seats: 785 (+53)

Notes

1. Roger Helmer was expelled from the EPP-ED group in 2005, but retains the whip of the British Conservative Party.
2. The figures for the Nordic Green Left Alliance and the European Anticapitalist Left include only those members that are not full members of the Party of the European Left.
3. See 2 above.
4. The EUDemocrats, while having a preference for the IND/DEM group, is currently split between UEN and IND/DEM.
5. In addition to the majority of AIDE MEPs which sit in the IND/DEM group, AIDE also includes Non-Inscrit MEP, Jim Allister, as an individual member.
6. The figures for the European Christian Political Movement exclude a number of members who hold concurrent membership of the European Peoples Party.
7. See 4 above.

8. These figures include parties listed on the Euronat page which appear to have links with Euronat short of full membership.

Other notes

• These figures estimate 'notional' voting figures based on changes in the configuration of EU political groupings since the 2004 elections and the accession of Bulgaria and Romania. Their purpose is to better estimate the position which the groups will have to defend for the next European Parliament election.
• These figures incorporate the results of the 2004 Romanian Chamber of Deputies election and the 2005 Bulgarian National Assembly election, on which the distribution of Bulgarian and Romanian MEPs is temporarily based. These figures will consequentially change after the 2007 European Parliament elections in those countries.
• These figures include the ITS group.

New parties in the 2004 election

Voting in the election, in the Netherlands

• 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. The English Democrats party appeared in England for the first time in 5 of the 9 English Constituencies, campaigning for an English Parliament and against English 'European' regions.
• 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 an EU sceptic alternative.
• In the Netherlands Europa Transparant of Paul van Buitenen got two seats.
• In Austria the Liste Hans-Peter Martin obtained two seats.

New inclusion

Gibraltar participated as a result of the judgement in Matthews v. United Kingdom

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.
• Eurosceptics: Sweden's Junilistan, the anti-abortion League of Polish Families, and the French Combats Souverainistes joined the existing Europe of Democracies and Diversities group, which already included the UK Independence Party (UKIP). The group renamed itself Independence and Democracy (ID).

See also

• List of members of the European Parliament (2004–2009)

Concurrent elections

• Belgium: regional elections
• Germany: 2004 Thuringian state election
• Ireland: local elections
• Italy: 2004 Sardinian regional election
• Lithuania: presidential election
• Luxembourg: general elections
• United Kingdom: local elections