The new European Parliament
The new European Parliament
The new European Parliament
Vedel Report (25 March 1972)
TextOn 25 March 1972, the Committee of experts, chaired by senior parliamentarian, Georges Vedel, submits to the European Parliament its report on the problem of the increased powers of the European Parliament (EP).
Demonstration for European elections by universal suffrage (Strasbourg, 1972)
BildIn 1972, demonstrators from the European Movement take to the street in front of the seat of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, calling for European elections by direct universal suffrage.
Composition du groupe ad-hoc sur l'accroissement des compétences du Parlement européen
TabelleTableau reprenant la composition du groupe ad-hoc de personnalités indépendantes chargées d'établir un rapport sur l'accroissement des compétences législatives et budgétaires du Parlement européen.
‘The Vedel Report proposes that the European Parliament should be entrusted with some of the legislative power exercised by the Council of Ministers' from Le Monde (21 April 1972)
TextOn 21 April 1972, the French daily newspaper Le Monde analyses the report drawn up by a group of 14 professors and legal experts, chaired by the French judge Georges Vedel, which calls for a strengthening of the legislative powers of the European Parliament.
Speech by Peter Kirk to the European Parliament (16 January 1973)
TextIn a speech to the European Parliamentary Assembly on 16 January 1973, British Conservative MP Peter Kirk presents a memorandum comprising a number of proposals aimed at improving the operation of the Assembly.
Peter Kirk
BildIn 1973, Peter Kirk, Leader of the British Conservative Group in the European Parliament, addresses the Assembly in Strasbourg.
Otto von Habsburg on the reform of the European Parliament (Langenlois, 4 July 1974)
TonIn 1974, at a conference held in Austria on the economic and political situation in Europe, Otto von Habsburg, President of the International Paneuropean Union, argues in favour of the election of Members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage.
Patijn Report (13 January 1975)
TextOn 24 May 1973, the Bureau of the European Parliament instructs the Political Affairs Committee to draw up a report on the election of the Members of the Assembly by direct universal suffrage. On 13 January 1975, the Dutch rapporteur, Schelto Patijn, submits the report which will be adopted by the House the following day.
Interview mit Leo Tindemans: die Wahl des Europäischen Parlaments in allgemeiner Direktwahl (RTL, 10. April 1976)
TonAm 10. April 1976 wird der belgische Premierminister Leo Tindemans auf RTL interviewt. Er äußert sich optimistisch über die Einführung der allgemeinen Direktwahl des Europäischen Parlaments, die frühestens im Jahr 1978 stattfinden wird.
‘Resentment among the small countries creates a rift in Brussels’ from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (12 July 1976)
TextOn 12 July 1976, during the Brussels European Council, which is aiming to reach agreement on the distribution of seats for the future European Parliament elected by direct universal suffrage, the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports on the disagreements between the large and small countries in the EEC and describes the speculation on whether the many meetings held at European level are really beneficial.
Conclusions of the Brussels European Council (12 and 13 July 1976)
TextIn January 1975, the European Parliament adopts a draft agreement on the election of Members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage. On the basis of this draft, and after overcoming various differences of opinion, the Heads of State or Government reach an agreement at their meeting on 12 and 13 July 1976.
Demonstrations during the Brussels European Council (12 and 13 July 1976)
BildDuring the Brussels European Council on 12 and 13 July 1976, a large crowd demonstrates in favour of the election by direct universal suffrage of the Members of the European Parliament. The photo shows the arrival of the French President, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing.
Decision of the representatives of the Member States relating to the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the Assembly (20 September 1976)
TextOn 20 September 1976, representatives of the Nine, at a meeting of the Council, adopt the Act concerning the election of representatives to the Assembly by direct universal suffrage.
Interview with Hans-August Lücker: disappointment at the new role of the European Parliament (Bonn, 15 May 2006)
VideoIn this interview, Hans-August Lücker, Member of the European Parliamentary Assembly from 1958 and then Member of the European Parliament until 1985, tells of his disappointment at the development of the role of this institution, despite the introduction of elections by direct universal suffrage to the European Parliament in 1979.
Act concerning the election of the representatives of the Assembly by direct universal suffrage (20 September 1976)
TextOn 20 September 1976 in Brussels, the representatives of the nine Member States of the European Communities adopt the Act concerning the election of the representatives to the Assembly by direct universal suffrage.
Statement by Georges Spénale (Brussels, 20 September 1976)
TextOn 20 September 1976, Georges Spénale, President of the European Parliament, welcomes the signing, in Brussels, of the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the Assembly by direct universal suffrage.
Speech by Max van der Stoel (Brussels, 20 September 1976)
TextOn 20 September 1976, Max van der Stoel, Netherlands Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Communities, welcomes the signing, in Brussels, of the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage.
Address by François-Xavier Ortoli (Brussels, 20 September 1976)
TextOn 20 September 1976, François-Xavier Ortoli, President of the European Commission, welcomes the signing, in Brussels, of the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage.
Adoption of the Act concerning the election of the representatives to the Assembly by direct universal suffrage (20 September 1976)
BildOn 20 September 1976, in Brussels, the Council of Ministers of the European Community adopts the Act concerning the election of representatives to the Assembly by direct universal suffrage.
Adoption of the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage (Brussels, 20 September 1976)
VideoOn 20 September 1976, Max van der Stoel, Netherlands Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Communities, and François-Xavier Ortolo, President of the European Commission, welcome the signing in Brussels of the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Communities by direct universal suffrage.
'The European Parliament and European integration as seen by an Englishman' from 30 jours d'Europe (January 1977)
TextIn the January 1977 edition of the monthly publication 30 jours d'Europe, Lord Frederick Bessborough, Conservative MEP, gives his point of view on the role of the European Parliament in European integration.
Interview with Altiero Spinelli in Vision (November 1977)
TextIn an interview with the economic publication Vision in November 1977, Altiero Spinelli, MEP and former Member of the European Commission, focuses on the issues involved in the first election to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage.
Demonstration for a united Europe (6 December 1977)
BildOn the margins of the Brussels European Council held on 5 and 6 December 1977, demonstrators call for the establishment of a single currency and the election of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage.
‘Countdown' from L'Europe en formation (July 1978)
TextOne year before the first elections to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, the federalist magazine L’Europe en formation reviews the stage in political preparation reached in each of the Member States of the European Community.
The new European Parliament
'What is at stake' from 30 jours d'Europe (December 1978)
TextIn December 1978, the monthly publication 30 jours d'Europe publishes a speech by Emilio Colombo, President of the European Parliament, highlighting the issues involved in the forthcoming and first European elections by direct universal suffrage.
Cartoon by Haitzinger on the European Parliament (January 1979)
Bild‘Wedding photo of the year.’ In January 1979, with a view to the first elections to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, the German cartoonist, Horst Haitzinger, takes an ironic look at Parliament’s lack of powers.
Cartoon by Geisen on the European Parliament (1979)
Bild‘All we need now is the boat.’ In 1979, the German cartoonist, Hans Geisen, illustrates the first elections to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage and considers the new role of the European Parliament.
Cartoon by Behrendt on the elections by universal suffrage of the European Parliament (1979)
BildThe cartoonist Behrendt mocks the very 'respectable' age of many candidates standing for the first direct elections to the European Parliament in June 1979. For some of them, the office of MEP would be a last job before retirement rather than a new challenge.
Election of Simone Veil as President of the European Parliament (17 July 1979)
BildOn 17 July 1979, the French MEP Simone Veil is elected by her peers to the post of President of the European Parliament elected for the first time by direct universal suffrage.
Speech by Simone Veil (Strasbourg, 17 July 1979)
TextOn 17 July 1979, during the first session of the first directly-elected European Parliament, Simone Veil, the newly-elected President of the European Parliament, delivers a speech which throws the spotlight on the Parliament’s role as the driving force in the quest for European integration.
Cartoon by Moisan on the election of Simone Veil as President of the European Parliament (25 July 1979)
Bild‘The immigrant worker in Strasbourg. Already time for a tea break. — Building of the Europe supermarket. Babel-Volapük Company. Site manager S. Veil. — Site plan. — “It’s so I can send some money back to my country.”’ On 25 July 1979, French cartoonist Moisan speculates on the real powers of the European Parliament, which was elected by direct universal suffrage for the first time in June 1979. One week earlier, on 17 July, French MEP Simone Veil was elected as President of the European Parliament by her fellow Members.
Cartoon by Plantu on the election of Simone Veil to the Presidency of the European Parliament (July 1979)
Bild‘Get up, Europe!’ ‘I really like that Simone V…zzzzzz’ In July 1979, the French cartoonist, Plantu, illustrates the efforts being made by Simone Veil, elected President of the European Parliament, to give fresh impetus to the European integration process among the general public.
Simone Veil
Pass'The shape of the European Parliament' from El País
TextOn 31 July 1979, the Spanish daily newspaper El País outlines the composition of the European Parliament elected for the first time by direct universal suffrage and depicts the personality of Simone Veil, elected President of the House.
"La nature variée du Parlement européen" dans Affari esteri (Juillet 1979)
TextEn juillet 1979, Emanuele Gazzo commente dans la revue Affari esteri les premières élections au Parlement européen au suffrage universel direct.
Interview with Jacques Santer: the election of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage (Sanem, 6 April 2006)
VideoIn this interview, Jacques Santer, former Member of the European Parliament, recalls the nature of the debates, held during the 1970s, on the election of Members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage.
The debate in Germany
Speech by Hans-Dietrich Genscher (Bonn, 26 May 1977)
TextOn 26 May 1977, Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher delivers a speech to the Bundestag to coincide with debate on the electoral laws relating to the election of the European Parliament.
'The will of the people gives new impetus' from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (14 July 1976)
TextOn 14 July 1976, German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung considers the scope of the agreement, reached the previous day at the Brussels European Council, concerning the number and distribution of elected seats in the European Parliament.
'The obstacle course to Europe' from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (20 September 1976)
TextOn 20 September 1976, in its coverage of the adoption, the same day in Brussels, of the Act concerning the direct elections to the European Parliament, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung considers the true political role of the Parliament and echoes the hopes raised in Europe by the forthcoming elections.
Cartoon by Behrendt on the European elections by universal suffrage (3 December 1976)
Bild‘Europe is marching.’ On 3 December 1976, Fritz Behrendt, a Dutch cartoonist originally from Berlin, illustrates the issues surrounding the European elections by universal suffrage and the desire to involve European citizens in the voting procedure. A large-scale campaign is launched to convince the people of Europe to take part in the decision-making process of the European Economic Community (EEC).
The debate in Great Britain
Parliamentary debates in the House of Commons (12 July 1976)
TextOn 12 July 1976, while the Nine seek agreement on the number and the distribution of seats in the directly elected European Parliament, in London, the House of Commons holds a debate on the size and composition of the Assembly, its legislative timetable and the status of its Members.
Parliamentary debates in the House of Commons (7 February 1977)
TextOn 7 February 1977, the House of Commons debates the issues surrounding the future direct election of the European Parliament.
The debate in France
'Valéry Giscard d'Estaing: "The election will bring Europe closer to its citizens"' from 30 jours d'Europe (March 1976)
TextIn March 1976, French President, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, states his opinion on the future election of the European Parliament (EP) by direct universal suffrage as of 1979.
‘Election of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage’ by Robert Boulay (RTL, 9 October 1976)
TonFormer French Prime Minister, Michel Debré, opposed to any notion of supranationality, rejects out of hand elections to the European Parliament by universal suffrage.
‘Militant Socialists and European integration’ from Le Monde (10 February 1977)
TextOn 10 February 1977, in an article published in the daily newspaper Le Monde, the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre harshly criticises the establishment of a capitalist Europe and calls on Socialist Party members not to ratify the bill concerning elections to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage.
‘A historic decision’ from Le Monde (18 February 1977)
TextOn 18 February 1977, in an article published in the French daily newspaper Le Monde, Altiero Spinelli, leader of the independent left-wing political group in the Italian Chamber of Deputies and Member of the Communist and Allies Group in the European Parliament, gives his response to the article by French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, published in the same newspaper on 10 February, in order to demonstrate his support for elections to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage.
"Le Parlement européen a-t-il un avenir?" dans Le Monde (7 décembre 1978)
TextLe 7 décembre 1978, soit six mois avant les premières élections du Parlement européen au suffrage universel direct, Vadim Ardatovski, commentateur de l'agence de presse soviétique Novosti, exprime son scepticisme quant aux chances d'un renforcement des pouvoirs politiques de l'assemblée.