The year 2024 was a tumultuous one for the European Parliament, with significant changes in composition and balance of power following the elections in July. The year saw a series of dramatic events, including farmers’ protests targeting EU policies, a powerful speech by Yulia Navalnaya condemning Vladimir Putin, and a contentious debate on the Nature Restoration Law. The Parliament also approved a major migration policy reform and voted on including the right to abortion as an EU fundamental right.
The beginning of 2025 witnessed massive protests by farmers from across Europe, who rallied against the EU’s commercial deal with Mercosur countries and environmental policies affecting the agrifood sector. Yulia Navalnaya’s speech in February, following her husband Alexei Navalny’s suspicious death in Russia, called on MEPs to stop being boring in the fight against Putin. The final battle over the Nature Restoration Law saw intense debates between different groups in the Parliament, ultimately resulting in its approval in a watered-down version.
In April 2024, the European Parliament approved the Pact on migration and asylum, a wide-reaching reform of the EU’s migration policy after several years of debate. The new rules include a solidarity mechanism for sharing the burdens of welcoming asylum seekers among member states, along with stricter border controls and faster asylum request procedures. The year also saw the Parliament backing abortion as an EU fundamental right, despite a divisive vote that split the Chamber.
In its final rush before the European elections, the European Parliament approved a record number of legislative files and non-legislative resolutions. The Parliament also saw a symbolic vote to recognise Venezuela’s exiled presidential candidate as the legitimate president, revealing a changed balance of powers in the new legislature. A showdown between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán in October highlighted tensions over the war in Ukraine.
At the end of November, the European Parliament approved the College of Commissioners led by Ursula von der Leyen, although the vote revealed divisions within some of the major political groups. The approval of the Commission was not as unanimous as expected, with only about half of the lawmakers endorsing the new College. The year 2024 also witnessed some odd and surreal moments in the Eurochamber, including a dog barking during a debate, an MEP insulting an Italian football club, and a Slovak MEP releasing a dove as a gesture of peace.
