European elections polls: Are all countries voting today? EU elections voting timetable
EUROPEAN Parliament elections begin today, and it’s time for citizens of the EU to head to the polls. So who votes when
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The European elections span four days, from Thursday, May 23 to Sunday, May 26. Voters will elect new Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who will play a crucial role in shaping the EU’s laws over the next five years. So which countries vote on which date, and when can we expect results?
VOTING TIMETABLE
May 23: Netherlands, UK
May 24: Ireland, Czech Republic (which has two-day voting also on 25 May)
May 25: Latvia, Malta, Slovakia
May 26: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
READ MORE: How do you know if you're registered to vote? Is it too late?
WHEN WILL WE KNOW THE RESULTS?
Results cannot be counted or released until ever country has voted.
There won’t be any exit polls over the weekend either, for the same reason.
Ballots will be sealed until polls close in the final member states, at 10pm UK time on Sunday evening.
The results will begin coming in shortly after polls close and continue through the night.
Some member states will take longer - for example, Northern Ireland and the Scottish isles also do not count on a Sunday, so their results will come on Monday, when the full picture will start to emerge.
WHEN WILL THE NEW EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT SIT?
The new European Parliament will hold its inaugural session on July 2, at which the new president and vice-presidents of the European Parliament will be elected for a two-and-a-half-year term.
The role of the president (currently Italy’s Antonio Tajani) is to oversee the work of the Parliament and chair its plenary session.
At the start of European Council meetings, the President outlines the Parliament’s views of the items to be discussed and represents the Parliament internationally.
After the European Parliament votes on the EU’s budget, the president signs it, allowing it to function.
READ MORE: Can you vote tactically in the European elections? How?
HOW DO ALL THE COUNTRIES VOTE?
Closed lists:
Used by: UK (except Northern Ireland), Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Romania, Hungary
Preferential lists:
Used by: Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Poland, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark
Single Transferable Vote:
Used by: Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland
READ MORE: Can you vote online? Do you have to go to a polling station to vote?