Efforts gain momentum to give high visibility to EU Parliament elections and reach ever more citizens as MEPs vote to reform the electoral system.

Surfing on success of Spitzenkandidaten experiment

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/12129528/n005-151111-001-en.srt

Surfing on the success  of the Spitzenkandidaten experiment,

MEPs voted in plenary a report  which will unify the rules

for the European Parliament  elections across the 28 Member States.

We want to make the next European  elections more attractive to citizens

MEPs want to make elections to the  EU parliament more visible for citizens.

But some measures do not agree  with the smaller parties.

as the Asterix parties,  we are small but strong.

Having only one party member  is never a problem.

Gender balance in the lists  is another sticking point.

We propose gender balance -  woman-man, woman-man

or man-woman, man-woman,  a zipper system.

We were told it would happen,  but then it seems it won't,

as even the co-rapporteur is calling for  it only to come into force if it's from 2024.

There are many people  who are unhappy and who are frustrated

with the fact gender balance related issues

usually pass but with problems,  or do not pass in our votes.

but there are also people for whom  this is already going to far.

The reformed electoral system will be  put to the test in the next elections in 2019.