Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and
Presidential Elections
Updated May 24, 2022
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R46858

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Introduction
This report provides a map of parliamentary and presidential elections that have been held or are
scheduled to be held at the national level in Europe in 2022, and a table of recent and upcoming
parliamentary and presidential elections at the national level in Europe. It includes dates for direct
parliamentary elections only, and excludes indirect elections.1
Europe is defined in this product as the fifty countries under the portfolio of the U.S. Department
of State’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. The report does not include the Holy See
(Vatican City), as there are not any direct presidential or parliamentary elections held there.
Electoral rules and governance structures can vary widely across European countries.
Eleven European countries have held or are scheduled to hold direct presidential and/or
parliamentary elections in 2022. Some dates may be subject to change due to snap elections,
parliamentary votes of no confidence, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, or
other factors. Thus far in 2022, snap elections are scheduled to be held in Portugal and Serbia.2
Parliament, or the legislative body, may be unicameral, with one legislative chamber, or
bicameral, with a lower and upper chamber. In bicameral systems, the lower chamber is usually
directly elected by the people and is the more powerful of the two (for example, the House of
Commons in the United Kingdom). The upper chamber is frequently appointed or indirectly
elected, and has more limited powers (for example, the House of Lords in the United Kingdom).
Both the lower and upper chambers are directly elected in six countries (Czech Republic, Italy,
Poland, Romania, Spain, and Switzerland).
The presidential election process in European countries varies.3 In many European countries,
presidents or heads of state are elected directly by the people in a popular vote; however, in
thirteen countries, presidents are indirectly elected by Members of Parliament.4 There are twelve
monarchies in Europe, including the Holy See.5 In lieu of a president, monarchs typically serve as

1 A direct election is an election where a political party or elected representative is chosen directly through a vote of the
citizens. An indirect election is one where the citizen’s vote for an intermediate body that is empowered to select the
elected official(s).
2 In a parliamentary system, a snap election is an election that is held prior to its regularly scheduled date. Such
elections are often called by the ruling leader when party leaders believe they will make electoral gains.
3 In parliamentary republics, the president as head of state typically has a ceremonial and largely nonpolitical role. In
these republics, executive power arises from the legislature and is vested in a prime minister as head of government. In
some parliamentary republics, the prime minister is chosen as part of political party negotiations following
parliamentary elections; in others, the prime minister may be chosen by the president and/or approved by the
parliament. The role of prime minister is often fulfilled by the leader of the majority party or majority coalition of
parliament. In presidential republics, presidents are elected directly by the people and serve as both the head of state
and the head of government. Cyprus and Turkey are the only countries in Europe with a full presidential system. See
Table 1, footnote j for more information on Turkey. Semi-presidential republics, such as France, are a hybrid of these
systems, providing for both a directly elected president and a prime minister responsible to parliament.
4 The thirteen countries are Albania, Armenia, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia,
Malta, San Marino, and Switzerland.
5 Per the CIA World Factbook, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden,
and the United Kingdom are considered constitutional monarchies. Belgium is referred to as a parliamentary
democracy under a constitutional monarchy. The Holy See is labeled an ecclesiastical elective monarchy (or "absolute
monarchy"). Andorra is considered a “parliamentary democracy” that retains its heads of state in the form of a co-
principality; “the two princes–the president of France and the Spanish bishop of Urgell–serve with joint authority as
heads of state.” For more information see https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/.
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the head of state with limited or ceremonial powers.6 In these instances, presidential elections are
denoted as N/A or nonapplicable in the table below.
CRS has gathered the information presented in this report from numerous sources, including the
U.S. Department of State, Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA’s) World Factbook, International
Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Election Guide, Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and
other news sources.
Figure 1 includes a map and calendar of the European parliamentary and presidential elections
scheduled to be held in 2022, including those already held.
Table 1 provides the dates of the last and next parliamentary and presidential direct elections in
Europe. The “last election/runoff” column displays the dates of the most recent direct
parliamentary and/or presidential elections. In many instances, the “last election/runoff” column
includes more than one date, as parliamentary and/or presidential elections may occur in two-
rounds with the top two candidates from an initial election advancing to a runoff election if no
candidate receives a majority (this is the system in France).
The “next election” column indicates the projected date when the next direct national election is
expected to be held, based on law or practice. In most European countries, general elections occur
at least once every four to six years. Unless laws or decisions in a particular country set a specific
election day, dates are calculated based on the dates of the most recent election and length of the
term. Elections that are expected to occur by a specific month/year are listed in the table
according to that month/year.
European Elections in 2022
Eleven European countries are scheduled to hold presidential and/or parliamentary elections in
2022. These dates may be subject to change due to snap elections, parliamentary votes of no
confidence, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, or other factors.

6 Some parliamentary systems, such as that of the United Kingdom, coexist with hereditary monarchies. In these
systems, called parliamentary constitutional monarchies, monarchs typically serve as the head of state with limited or
ceremonial powers. Prime ministers serve as the head of government, and may be appointed formally by the monarch,
based on election results and often with the approval of parliament.
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Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections

Figure 1. European Elections Scheduled for 2022

Source: Created by CRS, using data from the U.S. Department of State, Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA’s)
World Factbook, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Election Guide, Economist Intelligence
Unit (EIU), and other news sources.
Notes: Table is current as of May 23, 2022. Table includes direct elections only. Europe is defined as the fifty
countries (excluding the Holy See) under the portfolio of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of European and
Eurasian Affairs.
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European Parliamentary and Presidential Elections
Table 1. European Parliamentary and Presidential Elections

Parliamentary Elections
Presidential Elections
Last Election/
Last Election/
Country
Runoff
Next Election
Runoff
Next Election
Albania
Apr. 25, 2021
Apr. 2026
Indirect
Indirect
Andorra
Apr. 7, 2019
Apr. 2023
N/A
N/A
Armenia
June 20, 2021
June 2026a
Indirect
Indirect
Austria
Sept. 29, 2019
Sept. 2024
April 24, 2016/
Nov. 2022c
Dec. 4, 2016b
Azerbaijand
Feb. 9, 2020
Feb. 2025
Apr. 11, 2018
Apr. 2025
Belarusd
Nov. 17, 2019
Nov. 2023
Aug. 9, 2020
Aug. 2025
Belgium
May 26, 2019
May 2024
N/A
N/A
Bosnia and
Oct. 7, 2018
Oct. 2, 2022
Oct. 7, 2018
Oct. 2022
Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Nov. 14, 2021
Nov. 2025
Nov. 14, 2021/
Nov. 2026
Nov. 21,2021
Croatia
July 5, 2020
July 2024
Dec. 22, 2019/
Dec. 2024
Jan. 5, 2020
Cyprus
May 30, 2021
May 2026
Jan. 28, 2018/
Feb. 2025
Feb. 4, 2018
Czech
Chamber of
Chamber of
Jan. 12-13, 2018/
Jan. 2023
Republic
Deputies:
Deputies:
Jan. 26-27 2018
Oct. 20-21, 2017
Oct. 8-9, 2021
Senate:
Senate: Oct. 2022
Oct. 2-3, 2020/
Oct. 9-10, 2020
Denmark
June 5, 2019
June 2023
N/A
N/A
Estonia
Mar. 3, 2019
Mar. 2023
Indirect
Indirect
Finland
Apr. 14, 2019
Apr. 2023
Jan. 28, 2018
Jan. 2024
France
June 11, 2017/
June 12, 2022/ Apr. 10, 2022/
Apr. 2027
June 18, 2017
June 19, 2022
Apr. 24, 2022
Georgia
Oct. 31, 2020/
Oct. 2024
Oct. 28, 2018e
Indirect
Nov. 21, 2020
Germany
Sept. 26, 2021
Sept. 2025
Indirect
Indirect
Greece
July 7, 2019
July 2023
Indirect
Indirect
Hungary
Apr. 3, 2022
Apr. 2026
Indirect
Indirect
Iceland
Sept. 25, 2021
Sept. 2025
June 27, 2020
June 2024
Ireland
Feb. 8, 2020
Feb. 2025
Oct. 26, 2018
Oct. 2025
Italy
Chamber of
Chamber of
Indirect
Indirect
Deputies & Senate:
Deputies & Senate:
Mar. 4, 2018
Mar. 2023
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Parliamentary Elections
Presidential Elections
Last Election/
Last Election/
Country
Runoff
Next Election
Runoff
Next Election
Kosovo
Feb. 14, 2021
Feb. 2025
Indirect
Indirect
Latvia
Oct. 6, 2018
Oct. 2022
Indirect
Indirect
Liechtenstein
Feb. 7, 2021
Feb. 2025
N/A
N/A
Lithuania
Oct. 11, 2020/
Oct. 2024
May 12, 2019/
May 2024
Oct. 25, 2020
May 26, 2019
Luxembourg
Oct. 14, 2018
Oct. 2023
N/A
N/A
Malta
Mar. 26, 2022
Mar. 2027
Indirect
Indirect
Moldova
July 11, 2021
July 2025
Nov. 1, 2020/
Nov. 2024
Nov. 15, 2020
Monaco
Feb. 11, 2018
Feb. 2023
N/A
N/A
Montenegro
Aug. 30, 2020
Aug. 2024
Apr. 15, 2018
Apr. 2023
Netherlands
Mar. 17, 2021
Mar. 2025
N/A
N/A
North
July 15, 2020
July 2024
Apr. 21, 2019/
Apr. 2024
Macedonia
May, 5 2019
Norway
Sept. 13, 2021
Sept. 2025
N/A
N/A
Poland
Sejm & Senate:
Sejm & Senate:
June 28, 2020/
June 2025
Oct. 13, 2019
Oct. 2023
July 12, 2020
Portugal
Jan. 30, 2022f
Jan. 2026
Jan. 24, 2021
Jan. 2026
Romania
Chamber of
Chamber of
Nov. 10, 2019/
Nov. 2024
Deputies & Senate:
Deputies & Senate:
Nov. 24, 2019
Dec. 6, 2020
Dec. 2024
Russian
Sept. 19, 2021
Sept. 2026
Mar. 18, 2018
Mar. 2024
Federationd
San Marino
Dec. 8, 2019
Dec. 2024
Indirect
Indirect
Serbia
Apr. 3, 2022g
Apr. 2026
Apr. 3, 2022
Apr. 2027
Slovakia
Feb. 29, 2020
Feb. 2024
Mar. 16, 2019/
Mar. 2024
Mar. 30, 2019
Slovenia
Apr. 24, 2022
Apr. 2026
Oct. 22, 2017/
Oct. 2022
Nov. 12, 2017
Spain
Congress of
Congress of
N/A
N/A
Deputies & Senate:
Deputies & Senate:
Nov. 10, 2019
Nov. 2023
Sweden
Sept. 9, 2018
Sept. 11, 2022
N/A
N/A
Switzerland
National Council &
National Council &
Indirect
Indirect
Council of States:
Council of States:
Oct. 20, 2019h
Oct. 2023
Turkeyi
June 24, 2018
June 2023
June 24, 2018
June 2023
Ukraine
July 21, 2019
July 2024
Mar. 31, 2019/
Mar. 2024
Apr. 21, 2019
United
Dec. 12, 2019
May 2, 2024
N/A
N/A
Kingdom
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Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections

Source: Created by CRS, using data from the U.S. Department of State, European Council, Central Intelligence
Agency’s (CIA’s) World Factbook, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Election Guide,
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), and other news sources.
Notes: Table is current as of May 23, 2022. Europe is defined as the fifty countries (excluding the Holy See)
under the portfolio of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. N/A means
nonapplicable. The “last election/runoff” column may include more than one date, as parliamentary and/or
presidential elections may often occur in two-rounds with the top two candidates from an initial election
advancing to a runoff election if no candidate receives a majority. Unless a country sets a specific election day,
dates in the “next election” column are calculated based on the dates of the most recent election and length of
the term. Elections that are expected to occur by a specific month/year are listed in the table according to that
month/year.
a. Armenia originally had elections scheduled for December 2023, but held snap elections on June 20, 2021.
The prime minister announced the snap elections to address the political opposition that arose fol owing a
cease-fire agreement that he signed with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. See CRS Report R46651,
Azerbaijan and Armenia: The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, by Cory Welt and Andrew S. Bowen.
b. Presidential elections in Austria were held in two rounds on April 24, 2016 and May 22, 2016. In the second
round of voting, Alexander Van der Bellen, the Green Party-backed candidate, had narrowly defeated
Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party. However, the Freedom Party appealed the results. The
Constitutional Court annul ed the results of the second round, citing vote-counting irregularities. A second
round of voting was held on Dec. 4, 2016 (delayed from Oct. 2, 2016 due to concerns over faulty envelop
glue).
c. In its Election Guide, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) states that the Austrian
presidential election would occur by the end of November 2022. However, IFES and other news sites also
mention that the election would occur in the Fall (between October to December).
d. Azerbaijan, Belarus and Russia are considered “authoritarian” governments according to Freedom House’s
Freedom in the World 2021. See Sarah Repucci and Amy Slipowitz, Freedom in the World 2021: Democracy
Under Siege, Freedom House, 2021, at https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2021-
02/FIW2021_World_02252021_FINAL-web-upload.pdf. For more information on Belarus and Russia, see:
CRS In Focus IF10814, Belarus: An Overview, by Cory Welt and CRS Report R46518, Russia: Domestic Politics
and Economy, by Cory Welt and Rebecca M. Nelson.
e. Constitutional amendments in 2017 changed the presidential elections to an indirect election. The 2018
presidential election in Georgia was the last in which the president was directly elected. Beginning in 2023,
Georgia’s president wil be elected by Members of Parliament and local government representatives. See
CRS Report R45307, Georgia: Background and U.S. Policy, by Cory Welt.
f.
In November 2021, the Portuguese president announced plans to dissolve parliament and call a snap
election on January 30, 2022.
g. Parliamentary elections in Serbia were supposed to occur in 2024. However, in October 2020, President
Aleksandar Vucic announced that parliamentary elections would be held earlier. Both the parliamentary and
presidential elections were on April 3, 2022.
h. Each canton in Switzerland organizes its elections for the Council of States. The first round of the election
to the Swiss Council of States is held at the same time as elections to the National Council in all cantons,
with one exception. The canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden holds its elections on the last Sunday in April
(last election was Apr. 28, 2019). Depending on the results of the election, a second round or runoff
election may be required in some cantons.
i.
On April 16, 2017, a constitutional referendum was held on amending the Turkish Constitution, including
abolishing the office of the Prime Minister and replacing the country’s existing parliamentary system with a
presidential system. The referendum passed. On June 24, 2018, Turkey held snap elections, re-electing
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “With the elimination of the prime minister’s post, President Erdoğan now
controls all executive functions … and the capacity of the parliament to provide a check on his rule is, in
practice, seriously limited,” according to Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2021. See Sarah Repucci
and Amy Slipowitz, Freedom in the World 2021: Democracy Under Siege, Freedom House, 2021, at
https://freedom house.org/sites/default/ files/2021-02/FIW2021_World_02252021_FINAL-web-upload.pdf.
For more information, see CRS Report R41368, Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations, by Jim Zanotti and
Clayton Thomas and CRS Report R44000, Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations In Brief, by Jim Zanotti and
Clayton Thomas.

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Europe: Fact Sheet on Parliamentary and Presidential Elections

Author Information

Sofia Plagakis

Research Librarian

Disclaimer
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