Czech voters go to the polls on day 2 of EU elections

A woman prepares her ballots for the European Parliament elections at a polling station in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, June 7, 2024. ©AP

Voters in Czech Republic, where immigration was a key issue on the campaign trail, took to the polls Friday on the second day of the elections for the European Parliament.

Final results will not be released until Sunday night, once voting is completed in every country.

In the election campaign, the far-right and far-left were united over the condemnation of the EU's plans to tackle immigration and climate change, as well as their strong opposition against military support for Ukraine.

Former populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis and his centrist ANO (YES) movement campaigned under the headline “No to immigration and the green madness.” Babis espouses a strong anti-migrant rhetoric, which unites him with another anti-migration champion, Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister.

ANO led the polls ahead of the centre-right Together coalition, which consists of the conservative Civic Democratic Party of Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Christian Democrats and the liberal-conservative TOP 09 party. Two other government parties, the Pirate Party and STAN, a group of mayors and independent candidates, are also expected to win seats.

© Euronews