The European elections may lead to the creation of 18 “virtual” Euro MPs, who will not take office until the Lisbon Treaty takes effect.

The Lisbon Treaty could finally come into effect in 2009, eight years after European leaders launched a process to make the EU “more democratic, more transparent and more efficient”. Like the European constitution before it, the treaty is often described as an attempt to streamline EU institutions to make the enlarged bloc of 27 states function better. But opponents see it as part of a federalist agenda that threatens national sovereignty.

The constitution was thrown out by French and Dutch voters in 2005. The Lisbon Treaty, too, was rejected by Irish voters in 2008. However, Ireland is planning a new referendum in 2009. Under EU rules, the treaty cannot enter into force if any of the 27 member states fails to ratify it.

The treaty has already been ratified by most of the 27 member states, but the Republic of Ireland is expected to hold a second referendum on it in October.

Lisbon can only come into force if all have ratified it – and Irish voters rejected it last June. The 736 seats contested in this election will become 754 under Lisbon. But even the figure of 754 is a transitional one, because the treaty sets the final number at 751. It was agreed that Germany would keep its total of 99 MEPs until the next European elections, in 2014, when its number would fall to 96, in line with the Lisbon Treaty.