EU Parliamentary Elections: A Turning Point for Hard Right Gains

Polls opened in the Netherlands for the EU parliamentary elections, which are expected to see significant gains for the hard right. The Netherlands' far-right Party for Freedom is poised to capitalize on its recent popularity. EU results will shape policies on climate, defense, migration, and relations with major global powers.

Polling stations in the Netherlands opened on Thursday, marking the start of four days of voting in the EU parliamentary elections across 27 member states, with the far-right poised to make substantial gains.

Estonians began casting their votes earlier this week, but the Netherlands is the first EU country to commence its single-day vote, followed by Ireland on Friday and other EU nations over the weekend. Europe-wide results will be disclosed on Sunday night after all member states have concluded voting. The election comes six months after Geert Wilders' far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) caused tremors throughout Europe by becoming the largest party in the Dutch national parliament. Polling indicates Wilders aims to further cement his influence.

Populist, far-right, and extremist parties currently lead or form part of governing coalitions in multiple EU countries, with public support for these factions rising continent-wide. Voters in the EU elections, the world's second-largest democratic exercise after India's, have the power to impact policies on diverse issues, including climate change, defense, migration, and geopolitical relations with global entities like China and the U.S.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)