The VoteWatch.eu team members publish research and analyses on EU politics and governance on a regular basis. Click here for the latest publications on politics in the European Parliament
Each of the following papers and commentaries have been published by the VoteWatch.eu team members in various media and journals
Voting in the 2009-2014 European Parliament: the first year
This VoteWatch.eu 2010 report investigates the activities of the 2009-2014 European Parliament: the first year of the seventh-elected European Parliament. The report analyses the voting behaviour of the MEPs and political groups in all 792 recorded roll-call votes that took place between the first plenary session of the new parliament in July 2009 and the last plenary session in June 2010. The report focuses on three main patterns: (1) How often each of the political groups have been on the winning side in votes; (2) who votes with whom in the new Parliament; and (3) the ‘voting cohesiveness’ of the political groups. We look at average voting patterns as well as patterns by policy area. We also compare behaviour in the new Parliament to behaviour in the previous Parliament (2004-2009).
Votewatch report: voting behaviour in the new European Parliament, the first 6 months
This is the first of VoteWatch's newly launched six-monthly reports on voting in the 7th directly-elected European Parliament (2009-14). The report focuses on three voting patterns: (1) How often political groups are on the winning side when voting; (2) Who forms coalitions with whom in the new Parliament; and (3) The cohesiveness of each of the political groups. We look at average patterns as well as by policy area, where possible. We compare the voting patterns in the new Parliament to the average patterns in EP6 (the 2004-09 Parliament). Click here to download the report.
"What to expect in the 2009-14 European Parliament": Analysis from a leading EU expert
The success of smaller parties means that neither the centre-right nor centre-left will have the strength to dominate the new European Parliament. That is the central conclusion of a new study by London School of Economics Professor Simon Hix on the newly elected chamber.
European Political Groups' voting patterns 2004-2009
Could Changing the Electoral Rules Fix European Parliament Elections?
This paper by Simon Hix and Sara Hagemann argues that while reforming the electoral system of the European Parliament is unlikely to change the 'second order' nature of these elections, introducing small districts and open ballots (preferential voting) would change the incentives for candidates to campaign directly to citizens and enable citizens to reward MEPs for good performance in the European Parliament.
