Polls open in 20 EU countries as voting for the European Parliament enters its final day

BY LORNE COOK

BRUSSELS (AP) — Polling stations opened across Europe on Sunday as voters from 20 countries cast ballots in elections that are expected to shift the European Union’s parliament to the right and could redirect the future of the world’s biggest trading bloc.

The war in Ukraine, migration, and the impact of climate policy on farmers are some of the issues weighing on voters’ minds as they cast ballots to elect 720 members of the European Parliament.

Surveys suggest that mainstream and pro-European parties will retain their majority in parliament, but that the hard right, including parties led by politicians like the Netherlands’ Geert Wilders and France’s Marine Le Pen will eat into their share of seats.
That would make it harder for Europe to pass legislation and make decisions.

EU lawmakers have a say in issues from financial rules to climate and agriculture policy. They approve the