Live blog
European elections 2024
Europe decides: Economic expert warns of loss of prosperity and security
In Germany, around 65 million citizens are called to vote in the European Parliament elections
© Kay Nietfeld / DPA
Since Thursday, the EU countries have been electing a new European Parliament. On Sunday, the European elections will end with votes in Germany and most other EU countries. All developments and news in the stern live blog.
Around 360 million people are eligible to vote in the tenth European elections since 1979, from Finland to Malta, from Portugal to Romania. In Germany, around 65 million citizens (aged 16 and over) can vote, with 35 parties and political associations standing for election. Germany has 96 of the 720 members of the new European Parliament.
Is there a lesson for the federal government, i.e. the traffic light coalition parties? How will the CDU fare, how will the AfD fare, how will the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance fare? Which smaller party will manage to get a seat if there is no five percent hurdle?
All about it here in our live blog!
Chapter
Low voter turnout in Bulgaria
No incidents in Germany so far
Economist warns of loss of prosperity and security
Polling stations open until 6 p.m.
Thomas Krause
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) cast his vote for the European elections in Potsdam. According to a DPA photographer, Scholz came with his wife Britta Ernst and stood in line at the polling station at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Chancellor also has his constituency in Potsdam.
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Thomas Krause
Severe storms on Sunday night caused flooding and damage in many parts of Austria and briefly disrupted the European elections: Several polling stations were inaccessible or even destroyed due to the severe storms. According to APA, polling stations in Deutschfeistritz, north of Graz, and in the Hartberg-Fürstenfeld district were affected. According to the officials, the responsible city administrations reacted “very quickly” and relocated the polling stations.
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Low voter turnout in Bulgaria
Thomas Krause
The sixth parliamentary election in Bulgaria within three years is showing a low voter turnout. According to the state election commission, only around 8.5 percent of eligible voters had cast their votes by just before Sunday lunchtime. A survey before the vote had shown that a total of 40 percent planned to participate. The polling stations close at 8 p.m. local time (7 p.m. CEST). Post-election polls will be published shortly afterwards, and the first partial results are expected around midnight (11 p.m. CEST). At the same time, the European elections are also taking place in Bulgaria, and by midday there was no sign of any great enthusiasm for the election.
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Thomas Krause
Parallel to the European elections, Belgians are electing a new parliament. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m., forecasts are expected after polling stations close at 4 p.m. According to polls, the incumbent coalition under Prime Minister Alexander De Croo could lose its majority. The Flemish far-right party Vlaams Belang, on the other hand, can expect to gain. De Croo’s coalition government includes the Social Democrats, the Greens, the Liberals and the Christian Democrats.
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No incidents in Germany so far
Thomas Krause
In Germany, voting for the European elections has started without major incidents. The start went smoothly, Federal Returning Officer Ruth Brand told the German Press Agency this morning at an appointment in a Berlin polling station. “So far we have not received any news from the state election authorities that there are any significant disruptions. So from our point of view, things have been going well and normally so far,” she said.
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Thomas Krause
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) cast her vote in the European elections on Sunday in Burgdorf near Hanover. Von der Leyen then called again for Participation in the election “Let us show the power of our democracy,” wrote the German politician on the Internet service X. “Let us make Europe, our common home, stronger than ever before.”
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Thomas Krause
The current crises show how important it is to have reliable partners in Europe, Schnitzer stressed. “Together we can achieve much more for our prosperity and security than any country could on its own.”
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Economist warns of loss of prosperity and security
Thomas Krause
The first forecast for the distribution of seats in the new European Parliament is expected to be announced on Sunday between 8:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The first preliminary results from some EU countries are expected after 11 p.m.
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Thomas Krause
According to polls, right-wing parties are likely to perform strongly in several of the 27 EU countriesincluding in Austria, France and Italy. In Germany, according to surveys, the CDU and CSU can expect to win the European elections by a large margin. Behind them, the SPD, Greens and AfD are roughly on a par.
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Thomas Krause
In total, there are mandates for 720 MPs – 96 of them will come from Germany. Apart from the parliamentary elections in India, the European elections are the largest democratic vote in the world – and the only direct election across national borders. In Germany, around 1,400 candidates are running for 35 parties and other political associations.
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Thomas Krause
In addition to Germany, elections will also be held today in 20 other EU countries. In other countries such as the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovakia, citizens have already cast their votes. Across the EU, around 360 million people are eligible to vote.
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Polling stations open until 6 p.m.