DISINFO: The EU Parliament is a place of corruption, voting in the elections is worthless
SUMMARY
Elections are a tool used to hide mistrust of political authorities and confidence in their own strength. Parliaments are corrupt, be it through the contributions by lobbyists or through the misguided belief that one can actually make a difference by voting in parliamentary elections. This self-deception is the cheapest corruption.Elections to the European Parliament have been held since 1979. The Parliament’s chief purpose has always been the stabilization of financial rule, the best example of which is the Euro-coup. If you cast a vote in the EU Parliament elections, you will never get it again.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative questioning the EU institutions' legitimacy and powers and seeking to discourage voter turnout in elections.
The European Parliament is the EU's only directly-elected institution. Since 1979, it has been elected by EU voters every 5 years. The last elections were in May 2014, and the next ones are in May 2019. The European Parliament is one of the EU's two law-making bodies. It has constitutional-type and ratification powers. It passes EU laws, together with the Council of the EU, based on European Commission proposals. It has budgetary powers, scrutiny over the executive, hears citizens’ petitions, and appoints the European Ombudsman. A detailed overview of the European Parliament’s role in the European decision-making process can be consulted here.