Voters in Romania, Belgium, Croatia and Hungary have already started casting ballots in European Parliament elections that end this Sunday with voting in the 20 European Union (EU) member states, including Portugal.
In total, some 361 million voters from the 27 EU countries are called upon to choose the composition of the next European Parliament (EP), electing 720 MEPs, 15 more than in the previous legislature. Portugal has 21 seats in the semicircle.
Citizens of the Netherlands, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta and Slovakia have already voted in a cycle that began on Thursday. Italians began going to the polls on Saturday afternoon, and voting continued until 11pm on Sunday (an hour less in Lisbon), with Italy becoming the latest country to close polling stations.
Once elected, members of the European Parliament are united into groups, but it will take about a month to find out the final composition of the European Parliament.
On the 18th of this month, political groups begin meeting and have until July 15 to “close” their constitution, although new groups can be formed at any time during the legislative session.
Elected MEPs begin their duties with a constituent plenary session, which takes place from 16 to 19 July in Strasbourg, during which they elect the leader of the European Parliament. The position is currently held by Maltese Roberta Metsola (PPE), which is renewable for a further two years. period of a year and a half.
There are currently eight groups in the semicircle: European People’s Party – PPE (includes SDP and SDS-PP); Socialists and Democrats (to which the PS belongs); Renew Europe (including the Liberal Initiative); Identity and Democracy (of which Chega is a part); Greens (Livre and PAN); Conservatives and reformists – EKR and leftists (PKP and Left Bloc), in addition to the unregistered.
The election campaign was dominated by debate about the predicted rise of far-right and Eurosceptic movements, polls show. EU enlargement, support for Ukraine, migration, the economy and the environment were also on the candidates’ agenda.
The first preliminary results will begin to be published only this Sunday, after the close of polling stations in Italy, at 23:00 local time (22:00 in Lisbon).
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal

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