MEPs Conclude Visit to Spain on EU Electoral Reform Notification Obstacles

A delegation of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) has concluded a visit to Spain to assess the country’s political and constitutional challenges in ratifying the 2018 EU electoral reform. The delegation, organized by the European Parliament Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO), spent two days in Madrid engaging in discussions with various stakeholders to understand the obstacles hindering the notification of the electoral reform in Spain.

During the visit on Monday and Tuesday, MEPs met with key representatives, including the Director General of Internal Policy, members of the Spanish Parliament, leading professors of constitutional and electoral law, think tanks, and officials from the national electoral authority. Despite the delegation’s request to meet with the Spanish government, the responsible ministers were not available for discussions.

MEP Sven Simon, Chair of AFCO and Head of Delegation, expressed regret over the political challenges faced in implementing the EU electoral reform in Spain. He called on the parties in the Spanish Parliament to find a compromise and consider amending the national Electoral Law of 1985 to facilitate the notification of the European Electoral Law. The 2018 electoral reform aims to harmonize practices for European Parliament elections across EU member states, with Spain being the only member state yet to notify the reform.

Discussions during the visit highlighted the need for uniform rules at the European level while respecting member states’ diverse constitutional traditions and electoral systems. The delegation emphasized the importance of addressing legal feasibility, democratic representation, and governance at both national and EU levels. The visit comes after a hearing held by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs to explore obstacles to EU electoral law, particularly focusing on Spain’s delay in ratifying the 2018 reform.