Frankfurt, Germany, Jun 9 (EFE).- Millions of people were voting in 20 countries across the European Union on Sunday for the final day of European Parliament elections.
The elections are being seen as a gauge of the popularity of nationalist and far-right parties, which have gained more influence in recent years in certain countries amid an increasingly polarized political landscape.
Italy’s ruling coalition is led by prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy, while the Netherlands, where voters already headed to the polls on Thursday, is also governed by a coalition which includes the firebrand Geert Wilders and his anti-immigration Party for Freedom, which won the most votes in a general election late last year.
Far-right parties are leading national polls in Austria and Belgium, while the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has also enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, although it has become embroiled in scandals that could impact its performance at the ballot box on Sunday.
While nationalist and far-right parties are enjoying more support, the center-right grouping, the European People’s Party (EPP) — which includes formations such as Spain’s conservative opposition People’s Party (PP) and Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) — is still predicted to win the most seats and remain the largest force in the Parliament, according polls.
This election will also be the first time that 16-year-olds will be eligible to vote in Germany and Belgium, joining Austria, Greece and Malta in allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote.
More than 400 million people are eligible to vote to elect 720 members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
Initial results are expected on Sunday evening. EFE
ks/vm
