European Union
The European Union is a group of 27 countries that operate as a cohesive economic and political block
The EU grew out of a desire to form a single European political entity to end centuries of warfare among European countries that culminated with World War II and decimated much of the continent.
The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states in matters, where members have agreed to act as one.
The Maastricht Treaty-1992 (also called the Treaty on European Union) was signed on 7 February 1992 by the members of the European Community in Maastricht, Netherlands for European integration.
It received a great push with the end of the Cold War
European Communities (European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC), and European Economic Community (EEC)) incorporated as European Union
It established the European Central Bank (ECB).
European citizenship was created, allowing citizens to reside in and move freely between Member States.
It enabled people to run for local office and for European Parliament elections in the EU country they lived in.
Parliament Election
Elections to the European Parliament are regulated by the Treaty on European Union, Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage (the Electoral Act).
The Electoral Act states that the electoral procedure is governed by the national provisions in each member state, subject to the provisions of the act.
Elections are conducted by direct universal suffrage by proportional representation using either a list system or single transferable vote.
The national electoral threshold may not exceed 5% of votes cast
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