Political scientist Andrei Lazutkin compared the upcoming Parliamentary and municipal elections in Belarus with elections to the European Parliament.
The procedure will be conducted in Belarus on February 25, and in the EU —in June 2024.
Here is what Andrei Lazutkin, in particular, said on the air of the Belarus 1 TV channel's program “Say don’t be silent”:
“So there, in the European Parliament, no one elects anyone.
There is a sort of voting regarding each country. Well, of course, two large blocks are being formed there. The European People's Party is now actually the owner of the European Parliament. But there is also the European Council, the European Commission. Nobody chooses them there at all. That is, the Europeans themselves do not understand who all these people are who lead them.”
Elections to the European Parliament take place every five years in every EU country. The number of MEPs to be elected by each state ranges from 6 to 96 people, depending on the state's size. The final total number of deputies is 720.
Public interest in this event is less than in national elections. Thus, the turnout for the previous elections to the European Parliament in 2019 was 51%. Anyway, MPs to the EP are not appointed, but elected by voters.
Once elected, members of the European Parliament choose the head of the European Commission, who should be supported by the votes of at least half of the MEPs.
Once elected, members of the European Parliament vote for the head of the European Commission, who should be supported by a qualified majority of the MEPs.
The European Council consists of the heads of state and government of the EU member states. This includes officials elected in national elections.