2004 European Parliament election

Day	Member states voting
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

Elections to the European Parliament are being held from June 10, 2004 to June 13, 2004. The 25 member states of the European Union use varying election days according to local custom. Votes will be counted simultaneously on June 13, and results made available on June 13 and 14; however, the Netherlands, voting on Thursday 10th, has called down criticism on itself from the European Commission by announcing its results as soon as they are counted, on the evening of its election day.

Approximately 343,657,800 people are eligible to vote, the second-largest democratic electorate in the world after India. The new Parliament will consist of 732 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). The new member states will elect MEPs for the first time. It is the biggest transnational direct election in history.

voting in the election, in the Netherlands

Results table

Results table (seats/percentage)

Country Party	AT	BE	CY	CZ	DE	DK	EE	ES	FI	FR	EL	HU	IE	IT	LU	LT	LV	MT	NL1	PL	PT	SE	SK	SI	UK2	tot.3
EPP-ED																			7 (24.5%)							7
PES																			7 (23.6%)							7
ELDR																			5 (17.3%)							5
Greens/EFA																			2 (7.4%)							2
EUL/NGL																			2 (7.0%)							2
UEN																			-							0
EDD																			2 (5.9%)							2
N.I.																			2 (7.3%)							2
total	18 (2.5%)	24 (3.3%)	6 (.8%)	24 (3.3%)	99 (13.5%)	14 (2%)	6 (.8%)	54 (7.3%)	14 (1.9%)	78 (10%)	24 (3.3%)	24 (3.3%)	13 (1.7%)	78 (10.6%)	6 (.8%)	13 (1.7%)	9 (1.2%)	5 (0.7%)	27 (3.6%)	54 (7.4%)	24 (3.3%)	19 (2.5%)	14 (1.9%)	7 (1%)	78 (10%)	732

¹ These are partial results, based on 99.9% of the votes. Sunday official results will be announced, but these will most likely be the same. The Dutch say they can legally publish partial results. [1].
² The UK has already voted, but the results will be withheld until Sunday (Monday in Scotland due to sabbath).
³ These are, of course, partial results, only including the Netherlands.

New parties in the 2004 election

• In the United Kingdom, the Respect 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.

• 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 a EU sceptic alternative.

Other elections

The elections coincide with legislative elections in Luxembourg and presidential elections in Lithuania. They also coincide local elections in England and Wales and for London's Mayor, regional elections in Belgium and local or regional elections in most of Italy.

a poster for the European Parliament election 2004 in Italy, showing party lists

External links

• European Union's site for the European Parliament election, covering all of Europe
• National Information offices and national election web sites
• Election days in the 25 countries
• Czech Republic and the European Parliament elections 2004

European Election information sites

• Ireland: European Parliament Office in Ireland election informaion
• UK: EuropeCounts.org.uk - Official UK European Elections Website
• Information from the Finnish Justice Ministry on the election
• attendance and voting records; software patents (see article software patent) and environment issues (see articles green/environment issues) collect data on how MEPs voted, in order that the electorate may have a better idea on how to vote on them.

Candidates

• Belgium
• Luxembourg
• France
• Netherlands
• Sweden
• UK
• See German version of this article for the German and Austrian candidates

Manifestos and documents (United Kingdom)

• Guardian (newspaper): incomplete collection of manifestos
• Conservative manifesto (EPP/ED)
• European Greens manifesto; Successes of the Greens in the European Parliament; A Green Contract for Europe; European Election Manifesto: Green Party of England and Wales Manifesto: Northern Ireland (Greens/EFA)
• Labour document (PES)
• Liberal Democrat manifesto (ELDR)
• UK Independence Party manifesto (EDD)

Northern Ireland only:

• Democratic Unionist Party manifesto (NI - non-attached)
• Sinn Féin
• Social Democratic and Labour Party manifesto (PES)
• Socialist Environmental Alliance manifesto
• Ulster Unionist Party manifesto European manifesto (EPP)

Scotland only:

• Scottish National Party manifesto (Greens/EFA)

Wales only:

• Plaid Cymru / The Party of Wales Manifesto (Greens/EFA)