Netherland Initiates EU’s Parliamentary Elections

On June 6th, 2024, the Netherlands initiated voting in the European Union’s parliamentary elections, setting the stage for a crucial democratic exercise expected to highlight the rise of far-right parties across the 27-nation bloc.

Key Points

Polling stations have opened across the Netherlands, kicking off four days of voting for the 751-seat European Parliament.
The Dutch were the first to cast their ballots, with the rest of the EU voting over the next three days, concluding on June 9^th, 2024.
Irish voters go to the polls on June 7^th and the bulk of EU nations take part on June 8^th. Results will be unveiled June 9^th after the last nation has voted.
Since the last EU elections five years ago, populist, far-right and extremist parties now lead governments in three EU nations; are part of governing coalitions in several others; and appear to have surging public support across the continent.
The EU elections are the world’s second-largest democratic exercise, second only to India in scale.
Nearly 400 million voters across the EU will choose 720 members of the European Parliament, representing regions from the Arctic Circle to the borders of Africa and Asia.
The results of these elections will influence policies on global issues such as climate change, defense, migration, and international relations with major players like China and the United States.