What method is employed in the elections to allocate seats to the European Parliament?

Okay, so when we talk about elections to the European Parliament, it's important to understand that the goal is to represent the diverse political views across many countries. That's where proportional representation comes in. Think of it this way: if a political party gets 20% of the votes, they should ideally get roughly 20% of the seats in the parliament. This system aims to create a parliament that mirrors the overall political landscape. Now, other systems like "first past the post" – which is used in UK general elections – tend to favor larger parties and can lead to smaller parties being underrepresented. Proportional representation ensures a fairer distribution of seats, reflecting the range of opinions held by the electorate. It's a system designed to give a voice to a wider spectrum of political views, which is particularly important in a multinational body like the European Parliament.