Estimating the vote distribution in the Council of the European Union

Hosli, Madeleine O. (author), Wolffenbuttel, R. F. (author)

Vote allocations in the Council of the European Union (EU) are a crucial issue, especially in view of the increased use of qualified majority votes (QMV) and forthcoming significant rounds of EU enlargement. This article studies the distribution of votes in the Council from the first enlargement of the European Community (EC) in 1973 through to the present. The article theoretically deduces a formula that explains vote allocation on the basis of population size. The relationship between population and weighted votes is expressed by an exponential function. The article also illustrates to what extent the new formula agreed on at the Nice EU Summit deviates from the earlier one, by estimating changes in the relevant parameters.

• Language: English
• Keywords: European union, distribution of votes' formulas, qualified majority voting, Council of the EU, EU enlargement
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Year: 2001
• Number of pages: Str. 38-54, 86, 88
• Numbering: Vol. 4, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-135758
• UDC: 324:061.1EU
• ISSN on article: 1408-6980
• COBISS.SI-ID: 20631133
• Publication date in RUL: 30.03.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of international relations and development
• Shortened title: J. int. relat. & dev.
• Publisher: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre of International Relations
• ISSN: 1408-6980
• COBISS.SI-ID: 76065792

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Presojanje razdelitve glasov v Svetu Evropske unije

Abstract

Razdelitev glasov v Svetu Evropske unije (EU) je bistvenega pomena za EU, še posebej glede na povečano uporabo glasovanja s kvalificirano večino in pomembnost prihodnjih krogov širitve EU. Zato članek proučuje razdelitev glasov v Svetu od prve širitve Evropske skupnosti leta 1973 do danes. Članek teoretsko izpelje formulo, ki pojasnjuje razdelitev glasov s številom prebivalstva. Odnos med številom prebivalstva in ponderiranjem glasov je izražen z eksponentno funkcijo. Članek z ocenjevanjem sprememb po pomembnih parametrih tudi prikazuje, koliko nova formula, ki je bila sprejeta na vrhu v Nici, odstopa od prejšnjih.

• Keywords: Evropska unija, formule razdelitve glasov, glasovanje s kvalificirano večino, Svet EU, širitev EU