Elections to the European Parliament will be held in all EU member states between 22 and 25 May 2014, as decided by the Council of the EU.

It will be the eighth Europe-wide election to the European Parliament since the first direct elections in 1979. Candidates from 28 countries will compete for 751 seats on a mandate of five years. Seats will be allocated to EU member states according to their respective populations, with no one state having more than 99 seats, but no fewer than five seats, in order to maintain proportionality.

The 2014 elections are being held in late May instead of early June, as had been the case in the past, in order to provide more time for the election of a president of the European Commission.

For more information about European Parliamentary elections  click here.