Abstract
A proposal to reform the electoral law for the European Parliament is currently under consideration. The European Parliament itself, in its European Parliament resolution of November 13, 2018 on “Minimum Standards for Minorities in the EU” (2018/2036(INI)) called on member states “to guarantee equal opportunities for national and ethnic minorities to participate in political and social life; [… and] to adopt electoral systems and laws facilitating the representation of national and ethnic minorities”. This should consequently also apply to the European Parliament itself.
In its first part, this article reviews the current provisions regarding the election of representatives of national minorities in the Parliaments of the individual member states of the European Community as well as for the European Parliament itself. In its second part, some proposals are put forward to possibly increase the representation of national minorities in the European Parliament.