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An initial projection provided by the European Union indicates far-right parties have made big gains at the European Parliament, as voting was wrapping up Sunday on the final day of elections for the next five-year term.
In France, President Emanuel Macron said he was calling early legislative elections after his party suffered a heavy defeat from the far-right National Rally party.
In Germany, support for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats was projected at around 14% in the worst result in decades, while the far-right Alternative for Germany made gains.
Polls opened in 20 EU countries early Sunday for the June 6-9 elections for a new European Parliament, the legislative branch of the 27-member bloc.
Millions of Europeans have been casting their ballots this week in one of the world’s biggest democratic elections. Far-right parties are looking to gain more power amid a rise in the cost of living and farmers’ discontent, while the wars in Gaza and Ukraine are also key topics weighing on the minds of voters.
Exit polls results have been trickling in, but official results are not expected before the last polling stations in all 27 EU nations close late Sunday.
Currently:
— France’s Macron calls a snap election after heavy defeat
— Far-right Alternative for Germany make gains; poor showing for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats
— What’s at stake: AP’s explainer on how it works and the main issues
— Overwhelmed by the elections? A guide to the key races to watch
Here’s the latest:
POLISH PRIME MINISTER TUSK DECLARES VICTORY
WARSAW, Poland — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has declared victory after an exit poll showed a decisive victory for his centrist pro-EU party.
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BELGIUM LOOKING INTO REPORTS OF IRREGULARITIES BY TEEN VOTERS
BRUSSELS — Some underage voters in Belgium who were only allowed to cast their ballot in the European elections might have also voted in regional and federal elections they were not entitled to take part in, according to the country’s interior minister.
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HUNGARY’S PRIME MINISTER FACES FIRST ELECTORAL TEST SINCE NEW RIVAL APPEARS
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Many Hungarian view the election as a referendum on the popularity of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose illiberal policies and his support for Russia have pushed him to the margins of the European Union.
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POLAND VOTES WITH WAR IN UKRAINE AND MIGRATION ISSUES IN FOCUS
WARSAW, Poland — Poles are voting at a time of great insecurity for the nation, which is located along the eastern flank of both the European Union and NATO.
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BULGARIANS CAST BALLOTS FOR NEW PARLIAMENT AND IN EU ELECTIONS
SOFIA, Bulgaria — Bulgarians are choosing a new parliament Sunday while also participating in European Union elections that have been overshadowed by domestic political instability and economic inequality as well as growing concern over the war in nearby Ukraine.
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