MEPs conclude visit to Spain on EU electoral reform notification obstacles

Over two days of meetings (Monday 19 – Tuesday 20 May), MEPs examined key obstacles to the notification of the 2018 electoral reform in Spain. Discussions revolved around the establishment of national electoral thresholds in the European elections. MEPs exchanged views on the broader implications for EU electoral harmonisation, democratic representation, and the legal feasibility of current reform proposals. The delegation wanted to meet with representatives of the Spanish government, but the request was not accepted. They met with the Director General of Internal Policy instead, as well as with Members of Parliament (Congreso de los Diputados and Senado) from the joint committee for the European Union and from the constitutional committee, with leading professors of constitutional and electoral law, with think tanks and foundations, officials from the national parliament and from the national electoral authority (Junta Electoral Central). The visit, organised by the European Parliament Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO), comprised the following MEPs. Sven SIMON (EPP, DE) - AFCO Chair & Head of Delegation Adrián VÁZQUEZ LÁZARA (EPP, ES) - rapporteur Loránt VINCZE (EPP, RO) Ana Miguel PEDRO (EPP, PT) Borja GIMÉNEZ LARRAZ (EPP, ES) Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D, ES) Idoia MENDIA (S&D, ES) José CEPEDA (S&D, ES) Juan Carlos GIRAUTA VIDAL (PfE, ES) Quote At the end of the visit, Head of Delegation & AFCO Chair Sven Simon stated: “Based on our discussions,...