Article from the Luxembourg daily newspaper Lëtzebuerger Journal of 28 January 1977, looking back over the institutional development of the European Parliament from its establishment to the adoption by the Council, on 20 September 1976, of the decision enabling the holding of the first election by direct universal suffrage. Until the elections, therefore, the European Parliament becomes a Parliament in transition. The article also explains the powers of the European Parliament as well as the situation of the political groups in July 1976.