At a “one year to go”, press event today, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani announced the start of the countdown to the May 2019 European elections, in which voters will choose the 705 Members of the next European Parliament through direct universal suffrage and, indirectly, the President of the European Commission.

Over the next 12 months, the debate on Europe’s future will engage citizens at national and local levels right across the continent.

The European Parliament is at the heart of the debate on which sort of Europe we want. Since January this year, government leaders from the EU member states have been invited to discuss their visions of Europe’s future with MEPs publicly in the Hemicycle.

Meanwhile, at the start of June, Parliament will host more than 8,000 young people (representing the next generation) in Strasbourg, to gather their hopes and fears for Europe’s future and to discuss the way forward.

For the first time since 2007, 60% think that being a member of the EU is a good thing for their country and 67% think that their country has benefitted from EU membership - the highest figure since 1983.

President Tajani said:

“The next European elections will undoubtedly be a battle, not just between the traditional parties of the Right, Left and Centre but between those who believe in the benefits of continued cooperation and integration at EU level and those who would undo what has been achieved over the last 70 years.”

“According to the latest Eurobarometer survey, although 50% of Europeans are interested in European elections, only one in three knows when they will take place. By May next year, no-one should be unaware either of the date or of the stark choices to be made about the future direction of our continent.”