By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
THE HAGUE/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – The Netherlands kicked off four days of voting in the European Union when almost 400 million people can elect 720 members of the European Parliament at a time of turmoil across the continent.
Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who heads the Anti-Islam Freedom Party or PVV, was among those voting in the Dutch city of The Hague, surrounded by security guards.
Wilders’ PVV party recently became the most prominent political force in the Netherlands, and he hopes like-minded parties will take the EU parliament by storm. “We just made a coalition agreement in the Netherlands that concludes one of the most strict policies on asylum seekers ever in the Netherlands. And of course, part of it is, if you want to change asylum policy, you also have the influence of the European Union with all the guidelines that are binding,” he told reporters.
“And if you want to change that, you also need a strong presence in the European Parliament and make sure that, if necessary, we will be able to change the European guidelines in order to be in charge of our own immigration policy and asylum policy,” Wilders added after casting his ballot, most likely for his own party.
Far-right and more moderate right-wing parties are expected to do well at a time of mounting concerns over migration after millions arrived in the EU in recent years from mainly Islamic nations as well as war-torn Ukraine.
The vote lasts through Sunday and will impact anything from migration, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and defense to relations with Israel, global climate policies, and geopolitical ties with China and the United States.
POWERS EXTENDED
Europe’s parliamentary elections had little importance for the longest time, with critics saying the legislature looked like a retirement home for elderly national politicians and an incubator for young talent. But the second-biggest exercise in democracy behind India’s recent elections has inspired many to stand in line these days from the Arctic to the edges of Africa and Asia.
European Parliamentarians had little power and couldn’t even decide to gather permanently, causing a multi-billion euro moving circus between Brussels, Belgium, and Strasbourg, France.
As core members France and Germany set much of the policy for the ever-increasing group, the well-paid politicians had little say in European affairs.
However, as the legislature’s powers grew on issues like banking rules, agriculture, and the EU budget, so did voting interest and the quality of legislators.
While breaking a 50 percent voter turnout threshold was considered a significant step in 2019, an EU Parliament survey claims that 71 percent could vote in the upcoming elections, including in the Netherlands, which is seen as another massive leap forward.
One of the first tasks will be to elect a new European Commission, the EU’s executive, led by Ursula von der Leyen. She seeks a second term but faces tough competition.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
The Trump administration has finalized a sweeping reciprocal trade agreement with Taiwan, confirming a 15 percent U.S. tariff rate on Taiwanese imports while securing broad new market access and purchase commitments for American goods.
Democrats are applauding White House border czar Tom Homan’s Thursday announcement that immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota will end next week.
Democrats in the U.S. Senate tanked the Homeland Security full-year funding bill in a last-ditch vote Thursday, all but guaranteeing a partial government shutdown starting Saturday.
Mourners in a remote Canadian town grappled Thursday with the aftermath of one of the country’s deadliest school shootings in decades, as families, survivors and leaders reacted to the tragedy that left eight victims — most of them children — dead, along with the 18-year-old suspect.
A gunman who opened fire at a school in southern Thailand’s Hat Yai city on Wednesday wounded a teacher and a student before being detained, authorities said, in a rare attack that sent students and staff into panic.
The Republican-led House of Representatives has passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, advancing legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification at the polls. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain amid strong Democratic opposition.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday that its advanced David’s Sling air and missile defense system has completed a series of complex modernized tests, a development officials say bolsters the country’s defensive posture as tensions with Iran escalate and the United States prepares military options that could include direct strikes.