Brussels 08.07.2024 Slovakia, Latvia and Malta opened their polls on the third day of elections. In the afternoon the crucial Italian vote got underway, with Prime minister Giorgia Meloni and her Fratelli d’Italia party hoping to win the hearts of the citizens, gaining influence in Brussels.

During these days approximately 350 million eligible voters in 27 EU countries are heading to the polls to choose the next European Parliament.

Various polls indicate that conservative and far-right parties across the Europe will be the biggest beneficiaries of these elections, changing the established balance between Christian-democrats, and Socialists in the European Parliament.

The election will influence the policies of the EU on leading agenda’s topics such as climate change and the future of the European Green Deal, migration, economic recovery post-pandemic, migration, and foreign policy.

Voters in Latvia, Malta and Slovakia voted on day three, but due to a security concerns over the discovery of white powder, Slovaks were given extra time, until early the next day, to conclude voting. Meanwhile the much anticipated Italian election started, and it will continue tomorrow.

Earlier, on the second day of the EU elections 7 June – Ireland voted, while the Czechs have began a second day of voting today, which has been marred by violence+ an unfortunate turn of this year’s poll while the Danish Prime Minister was confronted with an assault in Copenhagen in the late evening.

Dutch Results showed 47% of the the electorate voted on Thursday 6 June, with the right-wing PVV party the biggest gainer of the night, according to the exit polls, progressing from one seat to seven, however the Green-Socialist coalition edged ahead with eight seats, according to the exit poll.

Cyberattacks. At least three Dutch parties said their websites were hit by cyberattacks claimed by a pro-Russian hacking group.

Meanwhile the European Commission president – Ursula von der Leyen – was accosted by pro-Palestine demonstrators – their hands daubed red – who drowned out her campaign speech at a rally in Portugal.