2026 elections in the European Union

2026 elections in the European Union
2026
Parliamentary elections
Parliamentary elections in member states
     Parliamentary election
     No election
Presidential elections
Presidential elections in member states
     Presidential election
     No election

The 2026 elections in the European Union include national and regional elections in the EU member states. Eight of the twenty-seven member states (Slovenia, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Malta, Sweden, Latvia, and Cyprus) are set to elect new parliaments in 2026. Three (Portugal, Estonia, and Bulgaria) will elect presidents.[1]

National elections

Parliamentary elections

Hungary's parliamentary election received the largest media focus of all those elecitions, as prime minister Viktor Orbán and his national conservative Fidesz party faced a strong challenge from Péter Magyar and the more moderate Tisza Party.[2] Orbán received criticism from the European Parliament[3] as multiple research organizations described the country as being in a state of democratic backsliding.[4][5] Politico Europe described the Hungarian election as the EU's most important election of 2026.[6]

Member state Election Parliament before Head of Government before Party EU Party Parliament after Head of Government after Party EU Party
Slovenia 22 March Robert Golob Svoboda ALDE Janez Janša SDS EPP
Denmark 24 March Mette Frederiksen Social Democrats PES Mette Frederiksen Social Democrats PES
Hungary 12 April Viktor Orbán Fidesz Patriots Péter Magyar Tisza EPP
Bulgaria 19 April Andrey Gyurov
(Caretaker)		 Ind. Ind. Rumen Radev PB NI
Malta 30 May Robert Abela Labour PES Robert Abela Labour PES
Sweden 13 September Ulf Kristersson Moderate EPP
Latvia By 3 October Andris Kulbergs AS ECR
Czech Republic
(Senate only)		 9–10 October Andrej Babiš ANO Patriots

Some parts of France will also hold a Senate election.

By-elections

Legislative elections in presidential states

Cyprus is notably the only EU member state with a strong presidential system where the president serves as both head of government and head of state.[7] As a result, the Cypriot legislature does not elect a prime minister, and instead, its members select the President of the Cypriot House of Representatives to head the body.

Member state Election Legislature before Head of Legislature before Party EU Party Parliament after Head of Legislature after Party EU Party
Cyprus 24 May Annita Demetriou DISY EPP Annita Demetriou DISY EPP

Presidential elections in parliamentary states

Portugal and Bulgaria directly elect their presidents, while the president of Estonia is elected indirectly by the Riigikogu.[8] Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Bulgarian president Rumen Radev have each been elected twice and are constitutionally ineligible to serve third terms.[9][10] Incumbent Estonian president Alar Karis is eligible for reelection, but has indicated that he is unlikely to do so and would like to see the office's electoral process reformed.[11]

State Date President before Party EU Party President after Party EU Party
Portugal 18 January
8 February		 Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa PSD EPP António José Seguro PS PES
Estonia 2 September Alar Karis Ind. Ind.
Bulgaria November Iliana Iotova BSP PES

Referendums

Local elections

Austria

Czechia

Denmark

France

Germany

Italy

Netherlands

Spain

Sweden

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "elections calendar 2024-2029" (PDF). cor.europa.eu. European Union. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  2. ↑ "Hungary's election could change Europe". The Economist. 12 November 2025.
  3. ↑ De La Feld, Simone. "EU Parliament calls for sanctions against Orbán: Hungary has turned into 'electoral autocracy'". Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  4. ↑ "Hungary and the future of Europe". European Consortium for Political Research. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  5. ↑ Anghel, Jones, Veronica, Erik. "restricted access What Went Wrong In Hungary". Journal of Democracy. 35. Retrieved 27 November 2025.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ Jochecová, Ketrin; Griera, Max (15 January 2026). "Hungary: 5 key questions about the EU's most important election of 2026". Politico. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "Cyprus". europa.eu. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Riigikogu looks at potential candidates for Estonia's next president". Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR). 15 March 2025. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  9. ↑ "Freedom in the World 2024 Portugal". freedomhouse. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  10. ↑ "Freedom in the World 2024 Bulgaria". freedomhouse. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "President: It would take a small miracle to convince me to run for a second term". Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR). Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR).
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