Editor's Note: This assessment is part of a series of analyses supporting Stratfor's upcoming 2019 Second-Quarter Forecast. These assessments are designed to provide more context and in-depth analysis on key developments over the next quarter. Between May 23 and 26, every EU country will hold elections to appoint the members of the European Parliament, the European Union’s supranational legislature , for a five-year term. Representing more than 500 million EU citizens, the parliament plays a crucial role in shaping EU policy by serving as a co-legislator alongside the European Council, which represents the bloc's national governments. Its approval is required to pass legislation on a host of issues, including the EU budget, trade, immigration, energy and transportation. But despite these powers, many Europeans do not think of the parliament as a particularly crucial institution, as evidenced by a decline in voter turnout in elections over the past four decades.