Some information in getting an idea of how things are going is critical.
Total number of Seats
The Parliament has a total of 751 seats - inclusive of the UK that would have reduced the total number of seats by 46 in the event of the UK not taking part.
These seats are distributed between the 28 member states - but because of the UK issue it is not clear how the seats are in fact distributed,
Even though the parties on local basis vote for the respective local parties - the parties are affiliated with the EU Party groupings - namely the following"-
Leftists and Socialists
Party of European Socialists - PES
Party of the European Left - PEL
Greens - EGP
Center-Left
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats - ALDE
Center Parties
European Peoples Party - EPP
European Conservatives and Reformists - ECR
Nationalists
European Free Allaince - EFA
It is not clear what the membership of the various groups are at present, There are serious ructions within the above Parties - for instance,
* the Catalan issue in Spain j\has driven mnembers from the Catalan area from the EPP group to the EFA;
* the Italian issue - all the Italian Parties in 2014 nearly went out of circulation and two parties arein power in Italy at present;
^ In France Macron is in chare of a Party coming into being in 2017 and whatever representatatives this new Party gets elected will join ALDE
* The Hungarians and Polish governing parties have been kicked out of their respective membership with the above groupings of Parties
However at present the EU Parliament is controlled by a coalition of EPP, ECR and ALDE,
What must be watched out for
The EU could be seriously threatened by establishment of new Parties all over the show.