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| Vote for European Parliament Seen as Bellwether for the Right | Vote for European Parliament Seen as Bellwether for the Right |
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| LONDON — Voters in Britain and the Netherlands went to the polls on Thursday at the start of four days of balloting across the 28-member European Union in a parliamentary election widely viewed as a bellwether for right-wing populist parties challenging traditional political elites. | LONDON — Voters in Britain and the Netherlands went to the polls on Thursday at the start of four days of balloting across the 28-member European Union in a parliamentary election widely viewed as a bellwether for right-wing populist parties challenging traditional political elites. |
| The European Parliament ballot does not generally reflect the sentiments expressed by voters in national elections, and turnout is often low. | The European Parliament ballot does not generally reflect the sentiments expressed by voters in national elections, and turnout is often low. |
| But the Europe-wide elections frequently provide a sense of the levels of public displeasure with the political mainstream and with what critics call the European Union’s bloated and aloof bureaucracy in Brussels. | But the Europe-wide elections frequently provide a sense of the levels of public displeasure with the political mainstream and with what critics call the European Union’s bloated and aloof bureaucracy in Brussels. |
| Most of the one-day elections for national contingents at the 751-member European Parliament will be held on Sunday, and results will not be announced until then. Around 350 million people are eligible to vote. The European vote could well be overshadowed by the presidential election in Ukraine, also set for Sunday. | Most of the one-day elections for national contingents at the 751-member European Parliament will be held on Sunday, and results will not be announced until then. Around 350 million people are eligible to vote. The European vote could well be overshadowed by the presidential election in Ukraine, also set for Sunday. |
| Some analysts have said that the crisis in Ukraine has barely been mentioned in electioneering for the European Parliament, even though the crisis there has presented the continent with its biggest security, political and diplomatic challenge in decades. | Some analysts have said that the crisis in Ukraine has barely been mentioned in electioneering for the European Parliament, even though the crisis there has presented the continent with its biggest security, political and diplomatic challenge in decades. |
| Seats in the European Parliament are allocated according to population, so that the biggest nation by numbers, Germany, votes for 96 representatives, while smaller countries such as Luxembourg and Malta elect only a handful. | Seats in the European Parliament are allocated according to population, so that the biggest nation by numbers, Germany, votes for 96 representatives, while smaller countries such as Luxembourg and Malta elect only a handful. |
| In Britain, the number is 73, and much attention in the campaign has focused on the U.K. Independence Party, or UKIP, led by Nigel Farage, which has no representation in the British Parliament but could emerge, according to surveys, as the biggest winner in the European vote. One poll said UKIP could win more than a quarter of the British vote, while the Liberal Democrats, the junior coalition partner in the national government, could trail all other parties here. | In Britain, the number is 73, and much attention in the campaign has focused on the U.K. Independence Party, or UKIP, led by Nigel Farage, which has no representation in the British Parliament but could emerge, according to surveys, as the biggest winner in the European vote. One poll said UKIP could win more than a quarter of the British vote, while the Liberal Democrats, the junior coalition partner in the national government, could trail all other parties here. |
| The anti-Islam Party of Freedom, led by Geert Wilders, is forecast to make gains in the Netherlands, as is the National Front, led by Marine Le Pen, in France. | The anti-Islam Party of Freedom, led by Geert Wilders, is forecast to make gains in the Netherlands, as is the National Front, led by Marine Le Pen, in France. |
| The elections come at the start of a long process to choose a president of the European Commission, the union’s executive branch, to succeed the incumbent, José Manuel Barroso, under new rules designed to enhance at least the appearance of democracy. | The elections come at the start of a long process to choose a president of the European Commission, the union’s executive branch, to succeed the incumbent, José Manuel Barroso, under new rules designed to enhance at least the appearance of democracy. |
| The commission president has generally emerged from opaque horse-trading among national governments eager to ensure a share of influence in Brussels. Under the new rules, the initial choice will still lie with the leaders of the 28 countries, but their candidate should reflect the outcome of this week’s elections and must secure majority backing in the European Parliament. | The commission president has generally emerged from opaque horse-trading among national governments eager to ensure a share of influence in Brussels. Under the new rules, the initial choice will still lie with the leaders of the 28 countries, but their candidate should reflect the outcome of this week’s elections and must secure majority backing in the European Parliament. |
| Voters in England and Northern Ireland were also voting on Thursday for some 4,000 local council seats. |