Dual Mandate - European Parliament

European Parliament

A member of the European Parliament (MEP) may not be a member of the legislature of a member state. This dates from a 2002 European Union decision, which came into effect at the 2004 European elections in most member states, at the 2007 national election in the Republic of Ireland, and at the 2009 European elections in the United Kingdom.

Originally, MEPs were nominated by national parliamentarians from among their own membership. Prior to the first direct elections in 1979, the dual mandate was discussed. Some advocated banning it, arguing that MEPs who were national MPs were often absent from one assembly due to being at the other. The early death of Peter Michael Kirk was blamed by his election agent on overwork resulting from his dual mandate.

Others countered that dual mandate members enhanced communication between national and European assemblies. The Eurosceptic Danish Social Democrats supported compulsory dual mandate, to ensure the state's MEPs expressed the same views as the national legislature. The government of Denmark supported compulsory dual mandate, while the other eight members supported optional dual mandate. The 1976 law preparing for the 1979 elections expressly allowed the dual mandate. In 1978, Willy Brandt suggested that one third of MEPs should be national MPs.