Opkomst EP-verkiezingen bereikt nieuw dieptepunt (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - For the sixth election in succession, turnout appears to have fallen to fresh lows.

Initial predictions put voter participation at 44.2 percent across the EU 25, lower than the 49.8 percent recorded in 1999.

Since the maiden elections in 1979 participation has fallen steadily from a high of 63 percent.

One of the biggest shocks of the night came from the ten new member states who joined in May, where only 26 percent of voters bothered to cast their ballots.

In the 15 old members 47.8 percent of voters took part according to figures from the European Parliament, in spite of many countries holding simultaneous local elections, referenda.

At the time of writing, the highest participation was recorded in Malta, where 82.4 percent of the population went to the ballot box.

The lowest turnout was in Slovakia, where only one fifth of voters - 20 percent - voted, followed closely by Poland, with a turnout of 20.7 percent.

Outgoing Parliament President Pat Cox issued a mild rebuke to the governments of the new member states for not getting voters out.

After the massive mobilisation of voters which occurred during referenda to approve EU membership Mr Cox said "nothing like an equivalent effort was made on this occasion".

Leader of the European Socialist Party - the second largest bloc in the Parliament - Enrique Baron Crespo was more circumspect.

"They are free people, only in dictatorships there is a 100 percent turnout", he said.

The turnout figures will be enough to prompt another round of self reflection.

Indeed it has already started.

"What we have to do is to convince the people that they need to vote ... it is important to make the citizens in all the countries realise that their contribution is important", added Mr Crespo.