“Irish and Czechs Hold EU Vote Post Dutch Far-Right Gains”, “Irish voters took to the polls on the second day of the extensive EU elections in Brussels on Friday (Jun 7), following the Netherlands’ commencement of the ballot, which witnessed a notable surge by the far right.”
“Ireland’s 37-year-old Prime Minister Simon Harris cast his vote near his home in the village of Delgany, south of Dublin, shortly after polls opened at 7 am. He then embarked on a whirlwind tour to campaign for both local and European Parliament elections.”
“I admire his energy, although I don’t vote for his party,” remarked Keith O’Reilly, a 41-year-old IT worker, as he exited the polling station.
“For the first time in an Irish EU vote, numerous candidates are campaigning on an anti-immigration platform, running as independents or representing fringe nationalist parties.”
Polls in the Czech Republic were to open later at 1000 GMT, ahead of Sunday’s main election day when most of the European Union’s 27 nations – including powerhouses Germany and France – will vote.
Exit polls after the vote in the Netherlands showed the Freedom Party (PVV) of anti-immigration Dutch eurosceptic Geert Wilders getting a boost in the incoming EU legislature, in second place with seven seats.
