Faced by mounting hostility to the Brussels bureaucracy, EU political leaders have worked hard to correct a so-called “democratic deficit”.
For the first time, the five main groups in parliament named candidates to be the next head of the powerful European Commission and sent them out on the campaign trail.
They also organised televised debates between the candidates, exposing them to the harsh light of public questioning.
Summing up the hopes of reconnecting with the bloc’s 500 million people, a giant banner hung at EU headquarters in Brussels read: “This time it’s different — Your vote counts.”
Analysts have their doubts, however.
“The European Parliament’s bid to politicise and personalise the vote has not worked,” said Jean-Dominique Giuliani of the Robert Schuman Foundation.
Instead, the eurosceptics and more radical groups have picked up support on anti-immigrant and anti-EU issues made doubly sensitive when 26 million people are out of work, including more than half those under 25 in countries such as Greece and Spain.
“It’s clear that these elections cannot just go on like this because people simply do not consider the European parliament to have political weight,” Techau said.
“There will have to be substantial reforms.”
– Russia fears in EEurope –
In Eastern Europe, the Ukraine crisis and fears of a resurgent Russia appear to have bolstered the attraction of EU ties and the security they offer.
In Lithuania, 44-year-old civil servant Jurate Kiserauske said the EU “is our only salvation and future. If we are not there, we would not remain where we are but we would return back to Russia, to the Soviet Union”.
Among the early voters in Romania on Sunday, which only joined the EU in 2007, was pensioner Didina Nicolae, 78.
“I went to vote because I want Romania to become a true European country with a higher standard of living,” she told AFP.
On Saturday, Czech Republic voters backed three pro-EU parties, while in Latvia, a rightwing anti-EU party — the National Alliance — trailed i
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