European Parliament Elections: Turnout trends, 1979-2009

As time has passed and the EU has grown in size, European Parliamentary elections have seen a continual decline in turnout since the first direct elections took place in 1979. While turnout in that first election was around 62%, it had fallen to 43% by 2009.

This note looks at the scale of these developments since the first direct election to the European Parliament. It investigates trends that may underscore this decline, notably the relationship between age and voter turnout. It also draws comparisons with national turnout to try to determine whether the trend pertains exclusively to the European Parliament or to elections in general. Finally, it explores potential reasons as to why a smaller and smaller proportion of the electorate is opting to vote.