In this article we are going to explore 1994 European Parliament election in France, a topic that has captured the attention of many over the years. From its origins to its impact on modern society, 1994 European Parliament election in France has been the subject of debate and discussion. As we delve deeper into this topic, we will discover its implications in different areas, as well as the advances and challenges that surround it. Using a critical and analytical approach, we will examine the importance of 1994 European Parliament election in France in today's world and how it has shaped our perception and understanding of it. Through this article, we hope to offer a deeper and more complete vision of 1994 European Parliament election in France, inviting our readers to reflect on its relevance and meaning today.
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All 87 French seats in the European Parliament | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. |
European Parliament elections were held in France on 12 June 1994. Six lists were able to win seats: an alliance of the centre-right Union for French Democracy and the Gaullist Rally for the Republic, the Socialist Party, the Left Radical Party, the French Communist Party, the National Front and Philippe de Villiers' eurosceptic right-wing dissident UDF list, which formed the Majorité pour l'autre Europe. 53.5% of the French population turned out on election day, actually an improvement on the last election in 1989. The Greens, who were weakened by an Ecology Generation list led by Brice Lalonde (winning 2.01%) and also suffering from internal divisions between the party's left (who wanted an electoral alliance with the Soécialists and the left) and the right (rejecting all alliances), lost all 9 seats won in 1989. Arlette Laguiller's Trotskyst Workers' Struggle (2.27%), Jean-Pierre Chevènement's left-wing eurosceptic Citizens' Movement (2.54%), the L'Europe commence à Sarajevo List (1.57%) and the agrarian populist Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions (3.96%) were among the notable lists which did not pass the 5% threshold.
With 14.49%, the Socialists, the party of President François Mitterrand, whose list was led by Michel Rocard suffered its worst result ever in a European election, losing votes mainly to the Radical list led by wealthy businessman and a protégé of Mitterrand, Bernard Tapie. Most analysts agreed that Mitterrand supported Tapie's list behind the scenes, since Rocard was a personal rival of Mitterrand and he wished to destroy Rocard's chances in the 1995 presidential election. In fact, Rocard resigned as First Secretary of the PS shortly thereafter and did not run in 1995 – Lionel Jospin was the Socialist candidate.
The other surprise was Philippe de Villiers success. Villiers, the President of the General Council of Vendée, was a eurosceptic member of the liberal component (PR) of the pro-European UDF. He won a surprisingly strong 12.34%, and his thirteen MEPs formed the nucleus of the Europe of Nations group. However, his success did not lead him to immediate political successes – he polled barely 4% in the 1995 presidential election.
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Union for France | 4,985,574 | 25.58 | 28 | New | |
Socialist Party | 2,824,173 | 14.49 | 15 | –5 | |
Majority for Another Europe | 2,404,105 | 12.34 | 13 | New | |
Movement of Radicals of the Left | 2,344,457 | 12.03 | 13 | +11 | |
National Front | 2,050,086 | 10.52 | 11 | +1 | |
French Communist Party | 1,342,222 | 6.89 | 7 | 0 | |
Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions | 771,061 | 3.96 | 0 | 0 | |
The Greens | 574,806 | 2.95 | 0 | –9 | |
Citizens' Movement | 494,986 | 2.54 | 0 | New | |
Lutte Ouvrière | 442,723 | 2.27 | 0 | 0 | |
Ecology Generation | 392,291 | 2.01 | 0 | New | |
Europe Begins in Sarajevo | 305,633 | 1.57 | 0 | New | |
Jobs First! | 125,340 | 0.64 | 0 | New | |
Natural Law Party | 103,261 | 0.53 | 0 | New | |
Workers' Party | 84,513 | 0.43 | 0 | New | |
Regionalist and Federalist List | 76,436 | 0.39 | 0 | New | |
Democrats for a United States of Europe | 71,814 | 0.37 | 0 | New | |
Life Policy for Europe | 56,658 | 0.29 | 0 | New | |
PPDG–PPM–PCR–PSG | 37,041 | 0.19 | 0 | New | |
Europe for All | 290 | 0.00 | 0 | New | |
Total | 19,487,470 | 100.00 | 87 | +6 | |
Valid votes | 19,487,470 | 94.67 | |||
Invalid/blank votes | 1,097,510 | 5.33 | |||
Total votes | 20,584,980 | 100.00 | |||
Registered voters/turnout | 39,019,797 | 52.76 | |||
Source: France Politique |