Netherlands to kick off 4 days of European Union elections across 27 nations

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Polls are to open across the Netherlands to kick off four days of voting across the 27 member states in European Union parliamentary elections that are expected to deliver gains for the hard right. The Netherlands is the only EU country to start its polling so early, followed by Ireland on Friday and the rest of the EU nations over the weekend. The Dutch voting comes six months after Geert Wilders’ far right Party for Freedom sent shockwaves around Europe by becoming the biggest party in the national parliament. Polling suggests that Wilders will build on that popularity at the EU elections. It will possibly set the tone for much of bloc.