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Turnout fears as EU goes to polls Turnout fear as EU election opens
(about 8 hours later)
Voting gets under way on Thursday in elections to the European Parliament, one of the world's most powerful legislative bodies. Voting for the European Parliament, the EU's most powerful legislative body, is under way, with the Netherlands and Britain the first to go to the polls.
First to go to the polls will be the UK and the Netherlands, with the bulk of the 27 member states voting on Sunday. UK voters will elect 72 MEPs and the Dutch 25 for the 736-member parliament. The rest of the EU's 27 states will vote in the coming days.
More than 375 million people are eligible to vote. The first results are expected late on Sunday, the day the bulk of countries go to the polls.
However, with turnout at the last elections in 2004 at around 45%, many will be watching to see just how many actually go to the polls. Observers will be watching to see if turnout is higher than 2004's 45.5%.
These elections should be one of the world's great democratic moments. But this is the first big electoral test across Europe since the region has been hit by economic meltdown, the BBC's Dominic Hughes in Brussels says.
There are fears the crisis will benefit extremists like France's Front national In Britain, the European election, held at the same time as local elections, follows weeks of scandal over what some MPs have been charging to their expense accounts. Correspondents say no one quite knows how the public will respond.
There are 736 seats up for grabs under various forms of proportional representation. Powerful institution
Germany, with the biggest population, gets the most - 99 - while Malta will have just five. More than 375 million people are eligible to vote for the 736 seats up for grabs under various forms of proportional representation.
The newly elected MEPs will take their seats in one of Europe's most powerful political institutions, scrutinising and shaping legislation that covers everything from the quality of the air we breathe to the cost of mobile phone calls. Germany, with the biggest population, gets the most seats - 99 - while Malta will have just five.
Despite all this, in the past Europeans have failed to be moved by the elections. The newly elected MEPs will take their seats in one of Europe's most powerful political institutions, scrutinising and shaping legislation that covers everything from air quality to the cost of mobile phone calls.
Last time around in 2004, some of the lowest turnouts were recorded in the newer member states of central and eastern Europe. Despite all this, in the past Europeans have failed to be moved by the elections, our correspondent says.
But this is the first big electoral test across Europe since the region was hit by economic meltdown. Last time around in 2004, turnout in the UK was 38% and in the Netherlands 39%. Some of the lowest turnouts were recorded in the newer member states of central and eastern Europe.
And with voters tending to reflect on national rather than pan-European issues, the results could make uncomfortable reading for some governments. Ireland voters go to the polls on Friday. Latvia, Cyprus, Malta and Slovakia vote on Saturday and Italy and the Czech Republic over the weekend. The remaining 18 countries vote on Sunday.