GovLens: the VoteWatch Europe alternative
VoteWatch Europe closed in mid-2022. GovLens covers the same ground — and more — with live data.
VoteWatch Europe, for over a decade the reference source for European Parliament roll-call votes, shut down in mid-2022 and its website is no longer online. Researchers, journalists, and citations that pointed to votewatch.eu now lead nowhere. GovLens fills that gap: live MEP roll-call voting records, cohesion and rebellion statistics, full EU legislation tracking, and lobbying data — all source-linked and updated continuously.
VoteWatch Europe vs GovLens
| Feature | VoteWatch Europe (archived) | GovLens (live) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Shut down mid-2022; website offline | Live and updated continuously |
| MEP roll-call votes | Archive frozen at closure | Every EP roll-call vote, updated after each plenary session |
| Cohesion & rebellion statistics | Last computed in 2022 | Live cohesion, rebellion, and coalition analytics per MEP and political group |
| Legislation tracking | Vote records only | Full OEIL dossier pipeline with stage-by-stage timelines and alerts |
| Lobbying data | Not covered | EU Transparency Register meetings and budgets, linked to dossiers and MEPs |
| National parliaments | Not covered | National legislatures plus cross-border directive transposition tracking |
| Data access | Discontinued | API access and export on paid and press/academic tiers |
| Cost | No longer available at any price | Free tier; free press beta; free student and academic access |
The data VoteWatch users came for
Every current MEP with attendance, roll-call history, and rebellion rates.
Group cohesion scores and coalition patterns across roll-call votes.
Live OEIL dossiers from Commission proposal to publication.
Lobbying organisations, declared budgets, and meetings with policymakers.
How to interpret roll-call votes, attendance, and loyalty figures.
For researchers and journalists
If you cited VoteWatch in academic work or reporting, GovLens offers the same roll-call vote data with per-vote source links. Journalists get full platform access through the free press beta, and students and academic researchers qualify for free access with a university email — apply via the beta programme. Methodology for cohesion and rebellion figures is documented on the methodology page.
GovLens is not affiliated with VoteWatch Europe. VoteWatch is referenced for identification only. GovLens is non-partisan and does not express political opinions.