Hey there, future changemakers! Ready to make your voice heard? Then, you are in the right place. Welcome to our Voting Hub, where we empower young people like you to engage in the democratic process and shape the world around us. 

 

Did you know that more than half of the world’s population will be voting in 2024? Every vote has the potential to impact our communities, our countries, and our planet. Whether you're passionate about climate change, social justice, education, or healthcare, your vote is your opportunity to stand up for what you believe in and help shape the future.

 

As proud members of the #ErasmusGeneration, we believe that young people like us have the power to make a real difference in the world, and we want to support you in doing so. The Voting Hub will provide you with useful information on how the European elections work, what the role of the European Parliament is or how you can vote from abroad.

 

If you are a Romanian student looking for information on the 2024 Romanian local elections, click here.

 

Why vote?

When you cast your ballot, you're not just marking a piece of paper – you're shaping the future you want to live in. This is your opportunity to have your say on topics you care about and choose who will represent you for the years to come.

 

Why is this important? Because it directly impacts the laws and policies that affect your daily life. From education and healthcare to the environment and human rights, the decisions made by elected officials can have a profound impact on the way we live day by day. For example, the European Parliament plays a crucial role in passing laws and regulations that affect citizens across Europe. You may have heard about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which protects our privacy online, or the Single-Use Plastics Directive, aimed at reducing plastic pollution.

 

Next time you feel like your vote doesn’t matter, think about this: every five years YOU get to choose who leads the conversation in the European Parliament. #UseYourVote to make sure it is someone you resonate with!  

 

How do European elections work?

Every five years, EU citizens get to choose who will represent them in the European Parliament in one of the biggest democratic votes in the world. 

 

In 2024, EU citizens will elect 720 Members of Parliament (MEPs), depending on the size of the population of each country, with smaller countries getting more seats than strict proportionality would imply. You can vote for your own country or for the country that you live in.

 

When you are voting in the EU elections, you are voting for representatives of national political parties that may occupy a seat in the European Parliament. Once elected, most MEPs choose to become part of wider political groups, and most national parties are affiliated to European-wide political parties. Find out more about political groups in the European Parliament here.

 

In 2024, elections will take place all across the European Union between the 6th and 9th of June. In Romania, EU elections will take place on the 9th of June, together with local elections. Depending on the country you are voting for, you may also  be able to vote online, by mail or by proxy. Keep in mind that prior registration may be required in order to vote!

 

Find out how elections work in each country.

 

How does the European Parliament work?

 

The European Parliament is the only EU institution directly elected by citizens. It is composed of over 700 members, whose role is to debate, shape and pass laws that are then implemented by the Member States of the European Union.

 

You may think that these decisions have little to do with our daily lives. But the truth is, they touch nearly every aspect of it – from the food we eat to the air we breathe, and even the rights we enjoy as citizens. The Erasmus+ programme is also a result of the EU action to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.

 

In short, here are the 3 main roles of the European Parliament:

  • legislative: the European Parliament passes EU laws, together with the Council of the EU, based on European Commission’s proposals.
  • supervisory: the European Parliament is a guardian for democracy, watching over the other EU institutions. It elects the Commission President and approves the Commission as a body, can vote a motion of censure, obliging the Commission to resign, examines citizens' petitions and observes elections.
  • budgetary: the European Parliament establishes the EU budget, together with the Council of the European Union.

 

Learn more about the European Parliament.

Voting from abroad

Are you currently studying or living abroad? If you are an EU citizen, you can vote from any EU country, just make sure to follow the rules and register in time if needed. Confused about the whole process? Under the Erasmus Generation in Action project, the Erasmus Student Network has put together a guide to make it easier for you to navigate voting from abroad for the 2024 European Parliament elections. 

 

Check it out here for an overview of the modes of voting, as well as detailed instructions for each country.

Other resources

Making informed decisions is key when it comes to voting. But with all the information that we are being fed daily, getting started can be more than confusing. That's why we put together a list of resources to help you learn more about the EU and its upcoming elections, and become a well-informed voter.

 

Elections 1o1

  • European elections website - find out how to vote in different countries, how elections work, what the European Parliament does, or which are the political groups and parties in the European Parliament. Bonus: you can follow the result of the elections, compare results between different countries and even check which political groups could form a majority.
  • Together.eu - check out the latest events hosted by the European Parliament, join a training or sign up for a reminder to vote. You can also take it one step further and get involved in promoting democracy.
  • Erasmus Generation in Action voting from abroad tool - all you need to know about voting from abroad for each EU country.
  • Poll of Polls - Politico’s poll of polls aggregates data from multiple sources to give a bigger picture of the public’s support towards different political parties. You can check predictions for the European Parliament elections or for national elections across Europe.

 

The European Parliament and the EU

 

Fact Checking

  • EUfactcheck - with everyone trying to grab your attention and win your vote, disinformation and fake news can reach a peak during elective periods. Students from the European Journalism Training Association schools check statements about topics in the upcoming EU elections, creating fact checks, analyses and blog articles.

EU vs disinfo - this EU project monitors, identifies and responds to cases of disinformation. It also provides free learning resources, videos and even academic research for you to learn more about how fake news and disinformation work, and how you can help fight them.