In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders' far right Freedom Party (PVV) appears to be the biggest winner of the European Union elections.

Late Thursday night, with almost 25 percent of the votes counted, the PVV was on course of gaining five seats in the European Parliament. It equalled Christian Democrats CDA, which lost two. The PvdA Labour party was set to lose four of its current seven seats.

The conservative VVD and liberal pro-European D66 both took three seats, with the VVD losing one seat and D66 winning two. GreenLeft and the Christian Union-SGP coalition remained steady at two seats each. The PvdD (Animals Rights Party) appeared to be about to win its first parliamentary seat in Brussels.

There were 25 Dutch seats to be contested in the EU elections. Five years ago, the figure was 27.   Turnout for the elections was 40 percent, a fraction higher than for the last EU elections five years ago.

If the forecasted results stand, then Dutch voters have given the Freedom Party a solid base, which may allow Mr Wilders to push ahead with anti-immigration initiatives. Mr Wilders is known for his anti-Islam stance and his outspoken critical view on Europe. His party has vowed to prevent Turkey from ever joining the European Union. 

The PVV's share of the vote is around 15 percent - if this result were replicated in national elections then Geert Wilders' party would be one of the biggest in the Netherlands. Analysts put the success in the European elections for Wilders down to his clear anti-European stand. In Rotterdam the PVV became the biggest party with 22 percent.

Citizens in the United Kingdom also went to the polls today, but those results will not be released until Sunday when most of the other 27 EU member states vote. 

More than 375 million people are eligible to vote in the EU parliamentary election, but opinion polls indicate high voter apathy and the turnout is predicted to be low. 

Opinion at NRC International: Call Geert Wilders by his name - a racist, by René Danen