10:14 A 103-year-old man successfully casts his vote
The elderly voters of Cyprus: Argyri Achilleos, born in 1921 in Tala. Despite her elderly age, she journeys to the polling station with a cane and aided by her granddaughter to cast her ballot for the composition of the European Parliament.
13:52 Monika Schnitzer, the head of the "Economists," cautions against the demise of prosperity and security. The success of the anti-European parties in the European election puts the whole European Union at risk, according to Schnitzer. If such a result occurs, it would lead to countries being pitted against each other, leading to a depletion of the prosperity and security we've established through decades of mutual cooperation. Current crises highlight the importance of dependable European partners, emphasizes Schnitzer. "Together, we achieve far more for our prosperity and security than what one country could on its own."
13:21 The Berlin election process is running smoothly - says Federal Election Commissioner. The start of the process has been uneventful, assures Ruth Brand, who spoke at a Berlin polling station. "So far, we've not received any messages from the state election commissioners indicating there are any major disruptions. From our standpoint, everything is running smoothly and efficiently," she says. The polling stations will remain open until 18:00.
12:54 The chances of Ursula von der Leyen's second term as EU Commission President - A brief analysis.
12:34 Federal Election Commissioner Ruth Brand urges citizens to vote today. She justifies this by the "eminent significance of the election for the future political decisions in the European Union." Despite some voters not receiving their voting notice, Brand adds that citizens can still vote using their identity card or passport as long as they're enrolled in the voter register of their electoral district.
12:18 Adverse weather conditions lead to disruptions in some Austrian polling stations. In Austria, certain polling stations for the European election have been inaccessible or destroyed due to heavy storms. This includes sites in Styria - Deutschfeistritz north of Graz and various locations in the district of Hartberg-Fürstenfeld. These polling stations have been quickly relocated by local authorities, who have clarified the relocation via signs in the vicinities and social media announcements.
11:53 What is the true meaning of the European election? Political expert, Thorsten Faas, describes the significance of European Union elections and the role of the "protest element."
11:36 No statement from Ursula von der Leyen in Burgdorf-Beinhorn. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen votes in her hometown of Lower Saxony for the European election. Accompanied by her husband, Heiko, she visits the modest voting site in Burgdorf-Beinhorn in the Hanover region. However, she refrains from greeting voters or answering any questions from media. She's vying for a second term as President of the EU Commission.
11:04 First broadcasts expected in Italy and Germany. Italy will keep the polls open until 23:00, but EU is projected to provide the first surveys at 20:15 based on post-voting data and partial results. Anticipated projections for Germany are scheduled around 18:00. Current polls predict a shift to the right in the European Parliament. The EPP, with CDU and CSU as members, could still have the most deputies with 173 seats. S&D and Liberals are estimated to have 143 and 75 seats, respectively. The right-leaning ECR (Meleni's party) could have 76 delegates, while the smaller ID with Marine Le Pen could have 67 deputies.
10:35 The agony of choice: The Voting-O-Matic assists millions in making their decision.
The Federal Center for Political Education revealed record use of its Voting-O-Matic service for the European election, with more than ten million people utilizing it so far. This surpasses the previous record during the last EU election, which was reached a few days before the voting took place. In 2019, the Voting-O-Matic was used 9.8 million times.
10:06: "Do you remember your dreams for Europe when you were 16?" - Influential individuals urge voters
Prominent people are encouraging voting through an atypical campaign. Using artificial intelligence, they make themselves appear younger and speak to young first-time voters in brief videos. "On June 9th, it's the European election - it's about the future of our continent! As of today, all individuals 16 and above can vote! Use your vote and go to the polls on Sunday. Your vote matters," Veronica Ferres states on Instagram, for example.
A well-known comedian also calls for voting: "Hi, this is the 16-year-old Carolin Kebekus," she says, and then poses the question: "Can you recall what you wished for Europe when you were 16? Studying and working abroad, experiencing different cultures, broadening your horizons. I couldn't decide back then. But you can now. So go out and select the Europe you imagined when you were 16, or as if you were 16." For the first time in Germany, 1.4 million 16- and 17-year-olds are eligible to participate in the European Parliament elections.
09:35 Authoritative figure: "The traffic light will get their due"
The European election is typically noted for low voter turnout. Political analyst Albrecht von Lucke predicts this will change today. There are several reasons why this election is crucial. While there is a shift to the right and a wake-up call for the Berlin traffic light, there is also "but."
09:11 A German-born citizen might become Florence's mayor
The candidate for the post-fascist party Fratelli d'Italia, German-born Eike Schmidt, could be elected mayor of Florence during today's Italian municipal elections. Until last year, he served as director of the renowned Uffizi. During the municipal election campaign, the 56-year-old was not only supported by Minister President Giorgia Meloni's government party but also by her coalition partners. Traditionally, Florence has been a stronghold of the Italian left, and Schmidt could capitalize on the internal conflicts within the left-wing parties. Based on the polls, his main rival, Sara Funaro from the Democratic Party, is currently in the lead.
08:40 Municipal elections as a barometer of public sentiment
Concurrent to the European elections, municipal elections are taking place in eight federal states, with citizens voting for district councils, city councils, and mayors. Additionally, in Thuringia, there are second-round elections for the Thuringian municipal elections that occurred on May 26. The focus is on the AfD's performance on the local level. In Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia, the municipal elections function as a gauge of public sentiment before the state elections in September. We are not anticipating the first results of the municipal elections to be announced before Monday. The European elections take precedence.
08:00 European elections commence in Germany
Since 8 a.m., voting stations have been open in Germany, allowing for a direct election across state borders. Until 6 p.m., approximately 65 million people in Germany - including 16-year-olds for the first time - can decide on the European Parliament's composition. In Germany, there are approximately 1400 candidates competing for 35 parties and other political associations.
Concurrently, voting is taking place in 20 other EU countries. Voters have already cast their ballots in places such as the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovakia. In total, 360 million people across the EU are eligible to vote. There are 96 seats allocated to Germany among the 720 in the European Parliament.
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The local elections in Germany are taking place simultaneously with the European elections, and the outcomes in both could significantly impact the country's political landscape. Meanwhile, Monika Schnitzer, the head of the "Economists," expresses concern about the success of anti-European parties in the European elections, warning that such a result could put the entire European Union at risk and lead to countries being pitted against each other, potentially leading to a depletion of prosperity and security that has been established through decades of mutual cooperation.
