The world's only directly elected multinational legislature, the European Parliament, has celebrated its fiftieth anniversary.
The 785-member assembly was set up in 1958 as a consultative body by the six founding members of today's European Union.
It now makes laws, has power over the common 100 billion euro budget and the power to censure the European Commission executive body.
Under the terms of the EU's new Lisbon treaty, as of next year, the parliament will have equal legislative powers with the member states in virtually all policy areas.
Just over 45 percent of EU citizens participated in the 2004 European elections.
The next chance for voters in today's 27 EU countries to exercise their democratic voice will be in June next year.
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