WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Inaugurated in 1958 as the Common Assembly, the European Parliament originally consisted of representatives selected by the national parliaments of EU member countries. Beginning in 1979, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were elected by direct universal suffrage to terms of five years.

Detailed explanation-2: -When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its members were directly appointed by the governments of member states from among those already sitting in their own national parliaments. Since 1979, however, MEPs have been elected by direct universal suffrage.

Detailed explanation-3: -Members of the European Parliament The European Parliament is made up of 705 Members elected in the 27 Member States of the enlarged European Union. Since 1979 MEPs have been elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year period.

Detailed explanation-4: -Apportionment. The allocation of seats to each member state is based on the principle of degressive proportionality, so that, while the size of the population of each country is taken into account, smaller states elect more MEPs than is proportional to their populations.

Detailed explanation-5: -The EU was given its current structure and powers in 2007 with the Lisbon Treaty, also known as the Reform Treaty. Under these treaties, the bloc’s twenty-seven members agree to pool their sovereignty and delegate many decision-making powers to the EU.