The European Parliament adopted by 316 votes to 90 with 20 abstentions a resolution tabled by the Constitutional Affairs Committee on the elections to the European Parliament in 2014, noting that the new Parliament needs sufficient time to organise itself in advance of the election of the Commission President. For the new Commission to be ready to take office on 1 November 2014, the election of the Commission President should take place at Parliament’s constituent part-session in July 2014. Accordingly, Parliament urges the European political parties to nominate candidates for the Presidency of the Commission and expects those candidates to play a leading role in the parliamentary electoral campaign, in particular by personally presenting their programme in all Member States of the Union. It stresses the importance of reinforcing the political legitimacy of both Parliament and the Commission by connecting their respective elections more directly to the choice of the voters. Furthermore, it calls for as many members of the next Commission as possible to be drawn from Members of the European Parliament, to reflect the balance between the two chambers of the legislature. The Council is requested to consult Parliament on holding the elections on either 15-18 May or 22-25 May 2014.
In view of the new arrangements for the election of the European Commission introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon and the changing relationship between Parliament and the Commission as from the elections in 2014, Parliament considers that reliable majorities in Parliament will be of paramount importance for the stability of the Union’s legislative procedures and the good functioning of its executive. Therefore, it calls on Member States to establish in their electoral law proportionate minimum thresholds for the allocation of seats so as to duly reflect citizens’ choices while also effectively safeguarding the functionality of Parliament.
Lastly, Members call on the future President of the Commission to ensure that a gender balance is achieved in the European Commission, with each Member State proposing both a female and a male candidate for the next College of Commissioners.