BRUSSELS, 7th June, 2024 (WAM) -- Polls have opened in the Czech Republic and Ireland on Friday for the second day of voting in the continent-wide European Parliament elections, in which around 360 million people can cast their ballot over four days.
German news agency DPA reported that there are 14 seats up for grabs for Ireland in the European Parliament elections, which are happening at the same time as elections for local office.
The Czech Republic is holding elections across Friday and Saturday, with 21 seats to be won.
This is the first EU election since Britain became the only country ever to formally leave the bloc in 2020.
Netherlands was the first country to vote on Thursday. Italy, Latvia, Malta, Slovakia are next to start voting on Saturday, with Italians voting across two days. In the rest of the EU, elections will be held on Sunday, 9th June.
Once the votes are counted and politicians are elected to their seats in the European Parliament, the political parties will form into different pan-European groups. There are also non-aligned parties and independents as well. Once the results are in, and the new parliament begins to take shape, EU leaders will gather for an informal summit to start the process of selecting the new commission president, the most powerful executive position in the EU.
Incumbent President Ursula von der Leyen is seeking a second term. To succeed, the German conservative politician first needs the backing of a qualified majority of EU leaders. Then, the European Parliament must approve her nomination by a majority vote. In 2019, von der Leyen was approved by a margin of just nine votes.