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Strasbourg
Nation / PlaceFR

Strasbourg

French city and seat of the European Parliament's plenary sessions.

Last refreshed: 16 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Why does the EU still run its Parliament from Strasbourg as well as Brussels?

Timeline for Strasbourg

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Common Questions
Why does the European Parliament meet in Strasbourg?
Strasbourg has been a formal seat of the European Parliament since its founding, hosting monthly plenary sessions under an arrangement fixed by EU treaty, even though most committee work happens in Brussels.
What happened at the Strasbourg vote on the digital euro?
On 9 July 2026 the European Parliament's Strasbourg plenary backed the digital-euro negotiating mandate 416-169 with 22 abstentions, after right-wing groups forced a floor vote, formally opening trilogue with the Council.Source: event
What European institutions are based in Strasbourg?
Strasbourg hosts the European Parliament's plenary sessions, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights.

Background

Strasbourg is a city in eastern France's Alsace region, on the Franco-German border along the Rhine. It has been one of the European Parliament's formal seats since the Parliament's founding, hosting monthly plenary sessions even though most committee work happens in Brussels, an arrangement fixed by EU treaty and defended by France despite years of MEP criticism over its cost and inefficiency. The city is also home to the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights, giving it two overlapping identities as a seat of European law and European democracy.

Strasbourg's plenary chamber is where the European Parliament's most contested tech-sovereignty votes reach the floor. On 9 July 2026 it backed the digital-euro negotiating mandate 416-169, after three right-wing groups forced a floor vote the economic affairs committee had tried to skip, formally opening trilogue with the Council.