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Election to the European Parliament

The 2004 European Parliament election was held between 10 and 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. The European Parliamental parties could not be voted for, but elected national parties aggregated in European Parliamental parties after the elections. Votes were counted as the polls closed, but results were not announced until 13 and 14 June so results from one country would not influence voters in another where polls were still open; however, the Netherlands, voting on Thursday 10, announced nearly complete provisional results as soon as they were counted, on the evening of its election day, a move heavily criticized by the European Commission. 342 million people were eligible to vote, the second largest democratic electorate in the world after India. It was the biggest transnational direct election in history, and the 10 new member states elected MEPs for the first time. The new (6th) Parliament consisted of 732 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Results showed a general defeat of governing parties and an increase in representatives from eurosceptic parties. No majority was achieved. The balance of power in the Parliament remained the same (largest party EPP ED, second largest PES) despite the 10 new member states.

In the United Kingdom, RESPECT The Unity Coalition was established to fight this election with the intention to use it as a springboard for a campaign against Tony Blair's government. The English Democrats party appeared in England for the first time in 5 of the 9 English Constituencies, campaigning for an English Parliament and against English 'European' regions. A European Union wide political party, the European Greens, was established in Rome on 21 February 2004 to contest this election. Swedish Junilistan (the June list) formed early in the year, meant to provide social democratic and right wing voters an EU sceptic alternative. In the Netherlands Europa Transparant of Paul van Buitenen got two seats. In Austria the Liste Hans Peter Martin obtained two seats.

Gibraltar participated as a result of the judgement in Matthews v. United Kingdom

Liberals: The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party created a new grouping by allying with MEPs from the French party Union for French Democracy (previously part of the EPP ED), the Margherita Party (Italy) (previously part of the EPP ED), other Italian members, the Lithuanian Labour Party and the Belgian MR MCC (previously EPP ED). The new allies formed the EDP and a new combined group, between the ELDR and the EDP, was formed with the name ALDE: the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. Eurosceptics: Sweden's Junilistan, the anti abortion League of Polish Families, and the French Combats Souverainistes joined the existing Europe of Democracies and Diversities group, which already included the UK Independence Party (UKIP). The group renamed itself Independence and Democracy (ID).