EU Elections Shift To Ireland As Populist Forces Gather Elsewhere

Faizan Hashmi Published May 24, 2019 | 09:00 AM

Dublin, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2019 ) :Phased EU-wide elections take place in Ireland on Friday after a campaign dominated by concerns over neighbouring Britain's messy bid to leave the bloc, and as eurosceptic forces elsewhere in Europe hope to create a political earthquake.

Citizens in Ireland, where support for the European Union has risen because of Brexit, start voting at 7:00 am (0600 GMT).

Also on Friday the Czech Republic will kick off its two-day voting process, a day after residents cast their votes in Britain and also in the Netherlands where the Labour party scored a surprise victory to win most seats in the elections.

In Britain, Prime Minister Theresa May is on the brink of resigning having not fulfilled her promise to lead the country out of the EU by March 29.

The Brexit Party, which was only set up this year by veteran eurosceptic Nigel Farage, is expected to score a resounding victory in Britain's vote.

The anticipated success of the Brexit Party, polling at around 35 percent, is emblematic of rising anti-establishment forces across Europe.

Around the continent, where most EU member states vote on Sunday, pro-European leaders are scrambling to mobilise their supporters to resist the populist surge, with opinion polls showing nationalist parties in the lead in France, Italy and Hungary, among others.

They fear a good showing for the eurosceptics will disrupt Brussels' decision-making and threaten reform efforts for closer integration.