How to Become an MEP

The European Parliament is the world’s only directly elected transnational assembly and the only EU body elected by the people. This June, EU citizens across 27 countries will elect 720 MEPs. But how does someone become an MEP? Is it the same process in every EU country? Do you have to be nominated by a political party? What age do you have to be? Can EU citizens run in different Member States? This Just the Facts unpacks electoral procedures and explains how you too can run for election to become an MEP.  

What are the rules? 

The rules that define who can stand as a candidate in  European elections are set out in both European and national legislation. European legislation sets out common rules which are applicable in each EU country, whereas national legislation sets out additional specific rules, which can differ from country to country.  

Most importantly, to be eligible for election as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), you must be an EU citizen. Moreover, you are entitled to run for election as a candidate in the country where you are an EU citizen (for example, an Irish citizen running for election in Ireland), or another EU country where you are a resident as an EU citizen (for example, a Spanish citizen, resident in Ireland, running for election in Ireland).  

This right is set out in European legislation in Article 22 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and is also enshrined in Article 39 of the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights.  

It is important to note that people with disabilities face a range of barriers – legal, administrative and institutional – to political participation. There are only 10 EU Member States where persons with disabilities, regardless of their legal capacity, can stand as candidates in the European elections. However, in 17 EU Member States (including Ireland), limitations persist that hinder the right to stand as a candidate for persons with disabilities. 

While Ireland, as an EU Member State, upholds the right the right to vote without exemptions for persons with disabilities, the right to stand as a candidate is limited by law under paragraph (i) of section 41 of the Act of 1992 which states that a “person who is a person of unsound mind” qualifies for disqualification to be a representative in the European Parliament. However, the European Disability Forum writes that “available information indicates that no candidate in Ireland has ever been disqualified on the basis of unsound mind”, adding that “it is however arguable that candidates could be disqualified based on psychosocial disabilities”. 

Citizens can only stand as a candidate in one EU country in the same election. This rule is set out in the European Electoral Act and is applicable in all EU countries.  

As mentioned above, there are also specific rules that can vary, depending on the EU country. For example, national legislation details the minimum age to stand as a candidate. In many EU Member States, the minimum age to stand for election is 18. However, in Ireland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia you must be over 21 years of age. Additionally, in Romania, you must be over 23 and in Italy and Greece, you must be over 25. 

In May 2022, the European Parliament proposed a number of changes to the European Electoral Act. The Parliament suggested a minimum common age of 18 years-old to stand as a candidate in all EU countries. This proposal is currently under discussion at the Council, which is the EU institution that has the power to change these rules. 

How can I be nominated as a candidate? 

In some EU Member States, only political parties and political organisations may submit nominations (for example, in Germany). In other Member States, nominations may be submitted if they are endorsed by the required number of signatures or electors (for example, in Ireland). 

In Ireland, a person may nominate themselves as a candidate or may, with his or her consent, be nominated by a proposer who is a registered European elector in the relevant constituency. A person may also be affiliated with a registered political party and be nominated by that party. In this case, the nominated candidate must include a Certificate of Political Affiliation within their completed nomination paper. 

If a candidate in Ireland has nominated themselves and has not included a Certificate of Political Affiliation within their completed nomination paper, they must either: 

• secure 60 assents to the nomination by way of statutory declarations by European electors registered in the relevant European Parliament constituency” or 
• make a deposit of €1,800 (this deposit may also be made on the candidate’s behalf). 

If a non-party candidate who is currently sitting as an MEP wishes to be listed on the ballot paper under the European Parliament political group of which they are a member, a Certificate of European Political Affiliation must be produced with their completed nomination paper. 

What are the deadlines to be nominated as a candidate in Ireland? 

All completed nomination papers must be produced to the returning officer for the candidate’s constituency by the allocated deadline. This must be done in person by the candidates or their proposers. For Irish citizens, the period for delivering nomination papers is between 10am on 15 April 2024 until 12pm on 30 April 2024. For other EU nationals running for election in Ireland, the deadline for delivering completed nomination papers was 22 April 2024. 

Who cannot stand as an MEP? 

As mentioned above, you are disqualified to stand as an MEP if you are already running for the European elections in another EU Member State. You also cannot run to become an MEP if you are disqualified by EU or national law (paragraphs (f) to (k) of section 41 of the Act of 1992). Conditions that merit disqualification under Irish law include, for example, someone who is currently undergoing a prison sentence greater than six months. 

Can candidates run in more than one constituency in Ireland? 

A candidate may only be nominated in one constituency in Ireland. Interestingly, in the European elections, most of the Member States function as single constituencies. However, Ireland is one of four Member States (along with Belgium, Italy and Poland) that have divided their national territory into a number of regional constituencies, while in the other 24 Member States candidates run on the national rather than regional level. 

What happens if an elected candidate does not take their seat in the European Parliament? 

In the case that an MEP does not take up their seat, withdraws their mandate, resigns or dies, their seat becomes vacant. It is up to each EU Member State to establish their own rules to fill in the vacant MEP seats for the rest of the mandate. In Ireland, the vacancy is filled by the person who is at the top of the outgoing MEP’s “replacement list” and who is willing to become MEP. There are therefore no by-elections in Ireland for the European Parliament.  

Before the close of European election nominations (deadline 30 April 2024), each registered political party or independent candidate may submit a list of replacement candidates to the returning officer for their constituency. Registered political parties can submit up to six names more than the number of candidates they are presenting in the constituency.  Non-party candidates may submit up to four names on their replacement list.  

In the past, some observers have pointed out that there is lack of scrutiny regarding independent candidates’ and political parties’ substitute lists. However, the lists of substitute candidates are made public by the returning officer of that constituency. 

Are you interested in running? 

Check out our EU Elections Information Hub to see the other candidates running for election: European Movement Ireland | European Parliament Elections 2024 

Here are the nomination forms for prospective candidates: