European Elections 2024: Turnout, Projections, and Key Moments
The 2024 European elections are well underway with notable developments and data emerging from various countries. As of 7pm, 39.2% of eligible voters had cast their ballots, a significant increase from the 25.1% turnout recorded at 12pm. This data, sourced from Italy's 'Eligendo' portal by the Interior Ministry, is based on information from half of the 61,650 electoral sections. The polling stations across 3,700 municipalities, including the Piedmont Regional Council, are set to close at 11pm. On the previous day, voter turnout was recorded at 14.64% by 11pm.
Broader Context and European Election Flow
Across the European Union, voters from various countries have been participating in this pivotal election. National exit polls from member states will commence dissemination of data post-polling station closures. For instance, data from Austria, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Malta, and the Netherlands will start flowing at 6:15pm, followed by Bulgaria and Croatia at 7:15pm. Denmark, France, and Spain are set to release their exit polls after 8pm. A first estimate of the new parliamentary composition is expected by 8:30pm, although polling in Italy would still be ongoing.
In a bid to provide insightful and comprehensive projections, the European Parliament aims to release multiple indices throughout the night, with final projections and seat distributions anticipated by early Monday morning. The event features considerable journalistic presence, with over a thousand journalists from 90 countries gathered at the Brussels hemicycle.
Significant Updates and Political Movement
Several key political developments have been observed. In Germany, the CDU/CSU coalition, led by Friedrich Merz and Markus Söder, has been actively campaigning, whereas, in France, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has been focusing on mobilizing young voters through social media campaigns. In Ireland, significant voter turnout was reported, with some stations nearing the 50% mark by the end of the election day. The Czech Republic is also seeing pivotal political engagement, with major topics being migration, the EU Green Deal, and Ukraine.
There also emerged instances of digital disruptions, such as the DDoS attack on party websites in the Netherlands, attributed to the pro-Russian hacker group HackNet. This attack aimed to interrupt electoral processes on the day of the European elections.
- In Italy, over 51 million citizens were eligible to vote in the European elections, while 17 million participated in administrative elections and 3.6 million voted in Piedmont. The elections thus reflect a broad participation despite some reported lower early turnouts.
- The 2024 EU elections are crucial in shaping the future political and legislative landscape of the European Union. The participation of countries over multiple days and the staggered announcement of exit polls highlight the complex and large-scale nature of these elections.
- Key representatives from major political groups in the European Parliament are expected to make statements throughout the night as initial results come in, providing insight into potential political shifts within the union.
