How the EU Elects Parliament: Today Marks the Last Day of Elections

Today is the last day of the European Parliament elections, which began on Thursday. On the eve of the final day of voting, thousands of protesters against right-wing forces have held demonstrations in Budapest and Berlin, while in Italy and the Netherlands, where voters have already started visiting polling stations, experts expect success for right-wing parties.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's numerous opponents gathered in central Budapest to protest against him, accusing him of authoritarian tendencies. Orbán's supporters argue that by halting military assistance to Ukraine, they are trying to prevent Europe from sliding into a major war.

The newly elected European Parliament will consist of 720 mandates, with each country receiving a proportionate number of mandates based on its population: Germany will get 96, France 81, Italy 76, and the Netherlands 31.

It is anticipated that the composition of the European Parliament will shift significantly to the right, especially concerning representatives from France, Belgium, Austria, and Italy. Everything hinges on how widespread the presence of right-wing parties will be and, importantly, their unity, which is far from guaranteed.