The European Parliament represents all the peoples of the European Union member states. Thus, following enlargement on 1 May 2004, 455 million people from 25 countries will be represented in the European Parliament. The first direct elections to the European Parliament were held in 1979 and this year Slovenia will take part in them for the first time. Slovenia will have 7 out of the total of 732 parliamentary seats.
The people of Slovenia will vote for their seven representatives on 13 June 2004. The Republic Electoral Commission has confirmed all 13 candidate lists, representing both parliamentary and non-parliamentary parties.
The legal foundations for the elections consist of four laws: the Election of Slovenian Members to the European Parliament Act, the National Assembly Elections Act, the Voting Rights Act and the Elections Campaign Act. Slovenia has a proportional election system, which has also been adopted in practice by all the other states. In addition, in Slovenia there is a preference vote - voters can vote only for one candidate list, but on this list they can also tick the candidate they prefer in relation to the other listed candidates.
Candidacy
The law states that any citizen of Slovenia, who is either put forward by a party or by voters, can stand for the elections to the European Parliament. The function of a member of the European Parliament is not compatible with the function of deputy in the National Assembly or that of mayor. In addition, a member of the European Parliament can not carry out activities or hold a function not compatible with that of a deputy in the National Assembly.
Each candidate list may consist of up to the maximum number of parliamentary seats available to Slovenia, that is seven. A party can put forward a list of candidates by means of signatures from four National Assembly deputies or a thousand voters, and voters can put forward a list on the basis of the signatures of at least 3000 voters. Candidates who are not Slovenian citizens, but are citizens of another EU member state, must submit a statement in which they state their citizenship and their permanent address in Slovenia. They must also submit a declaration that they are not standing for the elections to the European Parliament in another member state.
Election campaign
The election campaign for elections to the European Parliament must be held in line with the Elections Campaign Act. This includes provisions on financing. A campaign organiser must, at least 45 days prior to the elections, open a transaction account dedicated exclusively to the election campaign. The organiser has to put into this account all the funds contributed by legal and physical persons for this purpose. All the expenses must be settled from this account, which has to be closed three months after the elections. Every campaign organiser must then draw up a report on the use of the funds.
A maximum amount of 60 Slovenian tolars per voter may be used in the election campaign. The same amount - 60 tolars - is returned for each vote an elected candidate has won. Candidates who are not elected, but who have won at least two percent of the vote, are also entitled to a reimbursement of 30 tolars for each vote received.
Public opinion surveys
With regard to the publication of public opinion surveys, the rules applying to other elections apply. During the seven days prior to the elections no public opinion surveys can be published. All published surveys must state the method used and who carried out the survey, as well as who commissioned it. All violations of these rules are punishable.
Candidate lists
The Republic Electoral Commission has confirmed all 13 submitted candidate lists for the European Parliament. The order in which the lists appear on the voting papers has been decided by means of a draw.
The Ballot
The National Electoral Commission has decided on the format of the ballot paper for the European Parliament elections. Three possible ballots were considered during the decision-making process, while the final choice was also influenced by the majority support given to it by the lists of candidates.
