Political expert views European polls as "unusual": 11:53
Ten times, the European Union (EU) has had its people vote directly for parliament members; however, not all eligible citizens seem to realize how crucial it is to cast their ballots. According to political scientist Thorsten Faas, the EU and the act of voting can be difficult for many to comprehend. He also explores the role of the "protest element" in this election.
11:36 At a polling station in Burgdorf-Beinhorn in Lower Saxony, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participated in the voting process in her hometown. Accompanied by her husband, Heiko, von der Leyen arrived at the small polling station in the Hannover region to cast her vote. After doing so, she smiled for pictures while avoiding any interviews. Von der Leyen is seeking a second term as President of the EU Commission.
11:04 According to preliminary polls, the initial projections for the European Parliament will be provided by the EU starting at 20:15, based on exit polls and partial results. Italy will keep its polling stations open until 23:00. Based on these polls, the conservative European People's Party (EPP), comprising the CDU and CSU, could obtain the most representatives. As per a Politico survey, the EPP might gain 173 seats, the Social Democrats (S&D) might have 143 members, and the Liberals could potentially have 75. The far-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), led by Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, could secure 76 seats, while the smaller Identity and Democracy (ID) with France's right-wing populist Marine Le Pen could gain 67 seats.
10:35 The Federal Center for Political Education has reported a record number of uses of its Voting-O-Mat service for the European election, exceeding the usage at the previous one by four days before the vote. The Voting-O-Mat has been utilized more than ten million times, surpassing the previous 9.8 million times in 2019.
10:06 In an unconventional approach, prominent people have been calling for voting by appearing significantly younger through the use of artificial intelligence in their videos. These figures address young first-time voters, urging them to take part in the European election on June 9th. For instance, Veronica Ferres stated on Instagram, "The European election is on June 9th; it's about the future of our continent! For the first time, everyone above 16 can vote! Cast your vote on Sunday, and every vote counts."
A comedian also made an appeal in a similar manner: "Hello, this is the 16-year-old Carolin Kebekus. Do you still remember what you wanted for Europe when you were 16? Studying and working abroad, experiencing new things, and gaining new perspectives. I couldn't choose back then. But you can now. So go vote on June 9th and choose the Europe you dreamt of at 16, or as if you were 16." First-time voters aged 16 and 17 can participate in the European Parliament election, with approximately 1.4 million people eligible.
09:35 Political expert Albrecht von Lucke believes that the European election typically experiences low voter turnout, but this may change this time due to several reasons. He mentioned the potential for a right-wing shift and a wake-up call for the Berlin traffic light (a coalition of leftist parties) as well as an accompanying "but."
09:11 A German-born man, Eike Schmidt, could be elected as the mayor of Florence in the Italian local elections, which are taking place today. Previously working as the director of the renowned Uffizi art gallery, Schmidt, aged 56, has received support from both Minister President Giorgia Meloni's ruling party and her coalition partners. Florence has traditionally been a stronghold of the Italian left, and Schmidt could benefit from the division of left-wing parties. In the current polls, his rival, Sara Funaro from the Democratic Party, is ahead.
8:40 Local Elections as a BarometerDuring the same time as the European election, municipal elections are being held in eight German states. Voters are called upon to vote for district councils, municipal councils, and mayors in these states: Baden-Wuerttemberg, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt. Thuringia also has runoff elections after its first round of municipal elections on May 26.
The performance of the AfD is being closely monitored in these local elections. In Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia, the municipal elections are seen as a gauge of public sentiment before the state elections in September. It is not anticipated that the early results from these local elections will be available before Monday. The European election is being prioritized over these local elections, which may affect the timing of the results.
08:00 Voting Begins for the European Election in GermanyIn Germany, the European election is the only cross-state election. Since 8 a.m., polling stations have been open for voting. People aged 16 and above are eligible to vote until 6 p.m. with approximately 65 million participants in Germany. There are about 1,400 candidates vying for positions in Germany, representing 35 parties and various political organizations.
Besides Germany, voting is taking place in 20 other EU countries. With the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovakia already completed their voting process, Germany is one of the remaining nations to cast their votes. A total of 720 seats are open in the European Parliament, 96 of which will come from Germany.
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Germany is one of the 21 EU countries participating in the 11th round of European elections, where citizens directly vote for parliament members. Additionally, local elections are simultaneously happening in eight German states, including Baden-Wuerttemberg and Saarland, allowing voters to choose mayors and district councils.
