Irish, Czech citizens head to polls for European elections

LONDON

Irish and Czech citizens on Friday began voting to elect their representatives in the 720-seat European Parliament (EP) for a five-year term.

Voters in Ireland are heading to the polls for the local elections, the European elections, and the Limerick mayor election.

A total of 73 candidates have declared for the European elections across the three constituencies of Ireland South, Midlands-North-West, and Dublin as Ireland will elect a total of 14 MEPs, accounting for 2% of the 720-seat chamber.

Voters will also fill 949 city and county council seats in 31 local government authorities, as well as choosing a mayor for Limerick.

A high number of far-right candidates are on the ballot as polls show that nearly two-thirds of voters want tougher controls on immigration amid housing shortage and criticism against immigrants and refugees, according to reports.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0625GMT) and will close at 10 p.m. (2100GMT).

The counting in the European elections will begin on Sunday morning, but no counts will be declared until after 10 p.m. (2100GMT) Sunday.

In the Czech Republic, citizens will determine their 21 members of the European Parliament, while the ANO centrist opposition party is polling at 23.1%, slightly ahead of ruling parties, according to the Czech polling agency STEM.

Speaking to the German DPA news agency, STEM analyst Martin Kratochvil said the forecast reflected “typically low” Czech turnout in EU elections.

Estonians were the first to go to the polls on June 3, with voting open until June 9.

The Dutch followed on Thursday, while Malta, Latvia, Slovakia, and Italy are set to vote on June 8, with Italy having two days to vote.

The rest of Europe -- Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, the Greek Cypriot administration, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden -- will head to the polls on June 9.

Millions across the EU have been set to vote on June 6-9 for their representatives in the EP, the bloc’s only directly elected body and the world’s only directly elected transnational legislature.

A total of 720 lawmakers, or MEPs, will be elected to a five-year term, who then choose an EP president, a post currently held by Roberta Metsola.

*Nur Asena Erturk in Ankara contributed to this report