Members of European Parliament
Once elected, the representatives are known as Members of European Parliament (MEPs).
The number of MEPs for each country is roughly proportionate to its population, but this is by degressive proportionality: no country can have fewer than 6 or more than 96 MEPs and the total number cannot exceed 751 (750 plus the president). MEPs are grouped by political affiliation, not by nationality.
The President represents Parliament to other EU institutions and the outside world and gives the final go-ahead to the EU budget. The current president is Antonio Tajani.
MEPs spend some of their time in their regional constituencies in the UK and some of their time in political meetings in Brussels (Belgium).
For one week in every month they go to Strasbourg (France) to debate and vote on new European laws with MEPs from other EU member countries.
Vale AMs, MPs and MEPs