
The European Parliament European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union. Together with the Council of the European Union and European Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU. The Parliament is composed of 751 (previously 766) members, who represent the second largest democratic electorate in the world (after the Parliament India) and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world.
It has been directly elected every five years by universal suffrage since 1979. Although the European Parliament has legislative power that the Council and Commission do not possess, it does not formally possess legislative initiative, as most national parliaments of European Union member states do.The Parliament is the “first institution” of the EU, and shares equal legislative and budgetary powers with the Council. It likewise has equal control over the EU budget. Finally, the European Commission, the executive body of the EU, is accountable to Parliament. In particular, Parliament elects the President of the Commission, and approves (or rejects) the appointment of the Commission as a whole. It can subsequently force the Commission as a body to resign by adopting a motion of censure.
The European Parliament has three places of work – Brussels, the city of Luxembourg and Strasbourg. Luxembourg is home to the administrative offices. Meetings of the whole Parliament take place in Strasbourg and in Brussels. Committee meetings are held in Brussels.
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