The European voting process commences in the Netherlands as polling locations open.
The Netherlands' preliminary voting results are set to come out following the 9 PM closure of polling stations. The expected date for the entire EU's results is Sunday evening when Germany and other EU member countries finish voting.
Following the Netherlands, Ireland and Czech Republic will have their people participate in elections on Friday. The Czech Republic will have further voting on Saturday, the same for Italy, Latvia, Slovakia, Malta, and French territories overseas. Sunday is slated as the election day for Germany and most other EU nations.
Currently, the European Parliament has 705 representatives, and after the elections in the 27 countries, this number is forecasted to increase to 720 seats. The number of seats per country is set based on the population size, with Germany having the highest with 96. Estimated voters worldwide amount to around 370 million people.
For the Berlin traffic light coalition headed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), the election acts as a touchstone before regional elections in eastern Germany and the general polls in 2025. Pollsters envision a decline for the SPD, Greens, and FDP. Simultaneously, the CDU/CSU and AfD are predicted to make strides. Additionally, a conservative shift is forecasted at the EU level.
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- Geert Wilders' PVV party in the Netherlands, known for its strong anti-EU stance, is eagerly anticipating the European elections, hoping for a significant victory.
- On Sunday, the Czech Republic will open its polling stations for their contribution to the European elections, joining the larger voting process across the EU.
- The first projections for the European Parliamentary election results are expected to emerge as polling stations in the Czech Republic close on Saturday night, a day before Germany's opening of polling stations.
- The voters in Germany will visit their polling stations on Sunday, marking the beginning of the final phase of the European elections, with the expectation of seeing the closing results later in the evening.
- The traditional European voting day, Sunday, brings together voters from various EU member nations, such as Ireland, who concluded its voting on the same day.
- Polling stations in Europe, like those in the Czech Republic and Germany, serve as the backbone of the democratic process, allowing citizens to directly influence the composition of the EU Parliament.
- As the voting process in the European elections finishes in Germany, it ends a week that sees votes being cast in numerous EU countries, from Ireland and Czech Republic to France's overseas territories.