EU Elections Today:The Nationalist Advance?

Millions of people across the EU are electing a new European Parliament today.

Many countries are expected to send nationalist anti-globalist members to the parliament.

Return to this post throughout the day for updates.

UPDATE 1
 Very strong turnout in Spain (via Politico)

The turnout wave is continuing in Spain. As of 2 p.m., when the first turnout figures were released, 34.3 percent had voted. In each of 2014, 2009 and 2004, the 2 p.m. figure was always around 24 percent.

UPDATE 2

Via FT:

 Opinion polls point to a shake-up in the parliament, with the major centre-right and centre-left blocs expected to lose ground in favour of both pro-EU reformers and Eurosceptic nationalists...Mr Macron and his La République en Marche are running a close race in France with the far-right Rassemblement National

UPDATE 3

From the BBC:

 Across Europe, right-wing nationalist parties have mounted a co-ordinated challenge to the centre-right and centre-left groupings that have been the dominant power in every European Parliament.

Italy's League party has joined forces with other right-wing groups including Germany's AfD, the Finns Party and the Danish People's Party to create the European Alliance for People and Nations.

In doing so they hope to change the balance of power in the EU.

UPDATE 4

Via Bloomberg:

 A cautious, early takeaway is that populist parties failed to make the splash they were hoping for, while support for environmental movements like Germany's Greens surged, particularly among younger voters,

UPDATE 5

Via The Wall Street Journal:

 Early exit polls indicate a fragmentation of the pro-EU center, with the center-right and center-left groups that have dominated European politics for decades falling 56 seats short of their majority in the 751-strong assembly. Meanwhile, upstart pro-EU, euroskeptic and Green parties are projected to gain ground and complicate any coalition talks.

UPDATE 6

In the United Kingdom via News.com.au

The Brexit Party emerges as clear leader in EU votesThe Brexit Party is positioned to smash the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats in what is forecast to be a historic EU election victory.

UPDATE 7

Via The Wall Street Journal:

 The centrists—the moderate right and left—were decimated. For the first time since 1979, Christian Democrats and Social Democrats, the reliably pro-European bloc, no longer hold the majority in the 751-member European Parliament. Second, the far right—the Europe bashers and nationalists—scored big, increasing their take to about 170 seats. In Britain, the Brexit Party trounced both Labour and the Tories. In France, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally outpolled President Emmanuel Macron’s party and its allies.

UPDATE 8

What the Stunning Brexit Party Victory in the EU Vote Means


-RW