BRUSSELS, June 11 (UPI) -- As European parliamentary elections entered their second day Friday, a poll published in the Financial Times showed anti-EU candidates were making gains.
Those opposed to membership in the union are known as "euroskeptics," and the latest EOS Gallup Europe poll suggests overtly euroskeptic and nationalist parties could win at least 50 seats in the 732-seat assembly.
Meanwhile, the poll said center-right parties will emerge as the strongest political group in the parliament, with 265 seats, on the back of a strong electoral performance by Germany, Poland and British Conservatives.
"We must expect in the next European parliament much stronger extremist groups on both sides," said Gunter Verheugen, the EU enlargement commissioner. "Of course, these will be helped by low turnouts."
Apathy is likely to be highest in new EU member states with forecasts of turnout rates of 25 percent in Slovakia, 26 percent in the Czech Republic and 35 percent in Poland.
Voters in Britain and the Netherlands went to the polls Thursday in the first wave of European elections, which involves 350 million voters. Balloting ends Sunday night.
