EU Parliament polls close in most countries as citizens choose new MEPs

By Nur Asena Erturk

Polls in the European elections were coming to a close Sunday in most European Union (EU) countries as citizens voted to elect new members of the European Parliament.

The turnout rate was around 45.26% in France as of 5 p.m. local time (1500GMT), slightly higher than it was in 2019 (43.29%), according to French media outlets.

The country has around 50 million voters to send 81 politicians to the EU parliament.

In Belgium, regular polling stations closed at 2 p.m. (1200GMT) while electronic voting continued for two more hours.

Besides members of the EU parliament, the Belgians also voted to choose federal and regional lawmakers.

Meanwhile, polling stations will close at 9 p.m. (1900GMT) in Poland.

Sylwester Marciniak, the head of the National Electoral Commission, put the turnout rate as 28.2% at 5 p.m. (1500GMT), local news agency PAP reported.

In Romania, on the other hand, polling stations will close at 10 p.m. (1900GMT).

The Italians had two days to vote and the voting will end at 11.00 p.m. (2100GMT) on Sunday.