M&C: British and Dutch voters first to go to polls in European elections

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British and Dutch voters first to go to polls in European elections

Britain and the Netherlands Thursday kicked off a four-day round of voting in elections for a new European Parliament held across the 27 member states of the European Union (EU). In Britain, Thursday's election is seen by voters as a chance to pass judgement on the leadership of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is fighting for his political survival following scandals and low popularity ratings. There are also local council elections in regions of England and Wales. With turnout expected to be below 40 per cent in Britain, pollsters have predicted that fringe parties could make gains at the expense of the main political parties. Britain has 72 seats in the European parliament. It's a similar story in the Netherlands, where about 40 per cent of the electorate were expected to vote. The Dutch will choose among 17 parties, which together will be given 25 seats in the European Parliament.