Europe votes: low turnout, far right gains, balance expected to remain in EP

Some 388 million citizens have been invited to have their say in the European Parliament elections since Thursday, with a peak of the vote on Sunday, where polls opened in most EU countries, as AFP reports. Very low turnout was a common feature where vote started or has already finished for the total of 736 members of the EP for the next several years.

The first official results that would describe the political colors of the EP will be known by 10.00 p.m. GMT but by evening national level polls are expected to provide enough information about voting tendencies.

As the European Parliament is generally seen as disconnected from voters, turnout was already lower in polls concluded or opened earlier in Italy, Netherlands and France than it was in the previous elections.

The tendencies is seen as an opportunity for radical parties that challenge the EU rules and who are pushing populist promises related to the economic crisis and issues such as immigration.

EU-wide polls have been predicting a victory for the parties of the right and on average the current balance in the EP is expected to remain unchanged.