European Parliament elections start today

Elections for the world’s only supranational parliament begin today, with Dutch voters heading to the polls in a four-day vote that will send 720 MPs from 27 countries to the next European Parliament.

The election results, which will shape the structure of the next European Assembly and could have a major impact on the bloc’s political side in key areas such as migration and climate action, are expected to be announced on Sunday evening.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s centre-right European People’s Party is expected to remain the only large cluster in parliament, followed by centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and liberal Renew.

However, this year’s vote is being watched especially closely, as polls predict that populist and far-right parties will make major gains that could significantly increase their influence on the mainstream (though not enough to bring them to power directly).

Hours before the polls opened in the Netherlands yesterday afternoon, the far-right Geert Wilders, whose anti-Islamic Freedom Party (PVV) shocked Europe by finishing first in last November’s elections, was campaigning in the marketplace in The Hague.

Surrounded by a crowd of journalists who wanted to be interviewed and people who wanted to take selfies, Wilders called on his supporters to vote, saying that the election was about asylum and national sovereignty, and that the coming days were very important for the future of Europe.

His words marked a departure from his usual AB reverse pronunciation. PVV has long been calling for a “Nexit” referendum on Dutch EU membership, but in its latest agreement to form the next coalition government, it had to abandon this and other promises.

Recent polls for the Netherlands’ 31 MEPs show the PVV is eight to one seat ahead of the Green-Left-Labour alliance led by former deputy leader Frans Timmermans, who campaigned for a “free, sustainable, safe and democratic EU”. It is estimated that he will take the seat.

Hibya News Agency