MEP Influence Index 2026: Who really shapes EU policy?

EU Matrix has released its MEP Influence Index 2026, ranking all sitting Members of the European Parliament by their ability to influence EU legislation and outcomes. The index (updated 5 July 2026) blends institutional leadership (70%), stakeholder engagement (15%), and voting success (15%) into a 0–100 score, based on concrete actions such as rapporteurships, committee roles, seniority, and network strength. Incumbents receive a small bonus.

Overall top 10 most influential MEPs

• Manfred Weber (Germany, EPP) – 100.0 – Long-term EPP group and party leader.
• Roberta Metsola (Malta, EPP) – 88.1 – Parliament President, leveraging institutional role.
• Iratxe García Pérez (Spain, S&D) – 68.5 – S&D group chair.
• Victor Negrescu (Romania, S&D) – 64.4 – EP Vice-President steering budget files.
• René Repasi (Germany, S&D) – 62.0 – Highly active legislator and rapporteur.
• Valérie Hayer (France, Renew) – 61.0 – Renew group chair.
• Christian Ehler (Germany, EPP) – 61.8 – Top stakeholder engagement + industrial files.
• Markus Ferber (Germany, EPP) – 59.5 – Key work on economic/financial dossiers.
• Martin Hojsík (Slovakia, Renew) – 58.2 – EP Vice-President.
• Ewa Kopacz (Poland, EPP) – 57.3 – EP Vice-President, former Polish PM.

Standout / Highest-Ranked MEP per member state (excluding countries already represented in the overall Top 10)

Austria: No individual top MEP highlighted in leading positions; the delegation contributes steadily to EPP and other groups.

Belgium: Sophie Wilmès (Renew) – 49.3 – EP Vice-President and former Prime Minister, bringing high-level experience.

Bulgaria: Ilhan Kyuchyuk – Highest-ranked in the Bulgarian delegation; noted for strong performance and active engagement within his political group.

Croatia: Karlo Ressler (EPP) – 50.1 – Coordinator and rapporteur on key budget, security, and Western Balkans files.

Cyprus: Delegation shows lower average influence; no standout individual in the top excerpts.

Czechia: Lower average influence overall, though ECR-affiliated MEPs contribute notably in their group.

Denmark: Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Greens/EFA) – 51.7 – Active coordinator and rapporteur in economic and financial policy areas.

Estonia: Solid mid-tier performance aligned with Baltic and Northern priorities.

Finland: Eero Heinäluoma (S&D) – 52.3 – Rapporteur on financial system prevention and defence industry files.

Hungary: Lowest average influence per MEP (16.1); delegation impacted by non-attached and PfE members.

Ireland: Mid-tier average; MEPs contribute across various policy areas without leading the overall pack.

Italy: High total influence due to delegation size, though no single MEP appears in the absolute top 10.

Latvia: Roberts Zīle (ECR) – 57.3 – EP Vice-President and coordinator in financial and transport committees.

Lithuania: Mid-to-lower average performance.

Luxembourg: Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA) – Active rapporteur on animal welfare, transport, and related files.

Netherlands: Strong presence in several groups with active legislators, though average influence is moderate.

Portugal: Mid-tier average performance.

Slovenia: Mid-tier delegation with steady contributions.

Sweden: Strong average performer (one of the over-performers relative to size) with active MEPs in key committees.

No EU member state is completely absent from the top 100. Larger delegations (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania) naturally dominate the upper ranks due to their size and number of leadership positions. Smaller delegations still place MEPs in the top 100, especially those that punch above their weight on average influence (e.g., Malta, Finland, Sweden, Croatia, Luxembourg).

Low-key on average are Hungary, Greece, Cyprus, Czechia, Ireland, Lithuania and Portugal, who have lower average scores per MEP.

The full EU Matrix report provides detailed per-country top lists (top 3–10 depending on delegation size) with exact scores.

Photo: July 2026 voting session [European Parliament Multimedia Centre]

• European Parliament
• MEPs ranking

Updated: July 9, 2026 - 14:07