Why European elections matter and how they work
By Laura Gozzi & Paul Kirby
Europeans in 27 countries vote in June in elections that will have a wide impact across the European Union and beyond.
About 400 million voters are eligible to vote from Finland in the north to Cyprus in the south, Ireland in the west to Bulgaria in the east.
At stake is the make-up of the next European Parliament, the direct link between Europeans and the EU’s institutions.
How Europeans vote will shape the direction of the EU over the next five years, on climate change and migration, greater integration or increased nationalism.
Right-wing and far-right parties have made significant gains across Europe, and this shift to the right is likely to be reflected in the next European Parliament.
The Parliament, based in Brussels and Strasbourg, passes laws that affect the lives of EU citizens and has the job of endorsing the annual budget, which this year reached €189bn (£160bn).
