Dutch voters were the first called to the polls in the four-day democratic exercise in which citizens in 27 EU member states are electing 720 representatives to the world's only directly elected transnational parliament.
Polls suggest hard-right and farright parties are on course for their best ever results, although their representatives are likely to remain dispersed between at least two groups and non-aligned MEPs, blunting their power and influence.
An exit poll from the Dutch national broadcaster NOS on Thursday showed the GreenLeft-Labour alliance was on course to win eight seats, just ahead of Geert Wilders' farright Freedom party (PVV) on seven seats. The margin of error, however, was one seat, suggesting a tie.
Both sides declared victory. Bas Eickhout, a veteran Green MEP, who is his group's joint lead candidate, said: "The narrative of the rise of the far right has been beaten.
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