International
This will be the choreography of the European election night, from the polls to the results on 9J
When the massive European elections conclude this Sunday night, which call more than 370 million people to the polls in 27 countries, it will be time to know the first data on the composition of the European Parliament for the next five years and what coalitions can be formed.
More than a thousand journalists have been accredited to follow the results of the elections from the headquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels, whose hemicycle will be transformed into a huge press center to follow the data at the continental level on participation, seats and representation of the parties, both at the national and European levels.
All the polls give a roomy victory to the European People’s Party, which will maintain approximately the same number of seats as in the outgoing European Parliament, while the groups that have supported the Von der Leyen majority, social democrats (S&D) and liberals (Renovate Europe), will remain second and third respectively.
Even if they maintain their positions, the Social Democrats will do so with a few fewer seats than in 2019 and the liberals could lose up to 20% of their current seats.
To the right of the EPP, the Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the ultra-right Identity and Democracy (ID) will increase their number of MEPs, although with a limited influence due to their fragmentation, while the Greens/European Free Alliance will lose seats until they are sixth force and the Left will remain stable.
The official results will not be known until 11:15 p.m. and no country can publish official results before 11:00 p.m., since Italy does not close the polls until then.
During the afternoon, estimates published by the European Parliament will be known based on polls and polls at the ballot box, which will contain more information as the polling stations in each Member State close.
The first series of country estimates will be known around 6:15 p.m. Two hours later, Parliament will make a first projection of the composition of the European Parliament based on national estimates, pre-election polls or polls at the foot of the ballot box.
The second official screening of the night, at approximately 11:15 p.m., will be the first to contain official results, but not from all countries; some, such as Italy, will just close the polls at that time and others will make a slower count.
The last screening of the night will be published around one in the morning on Monday, June 10, but it is likely that it will take days to know the final result.
The projections published by the European Parliament, however, are based on the groups that existed in the legislature that now concludes; these can be maintained, disappear, win seats or lose them.
On election night, the “cake” of the hemicycle will have an important portion unallocated to any group, corresponding to those national parties that were not in the current European Parliament or that have not reported which groups they will join for the next legislature.
Negotiations to form groups, which bring together MEPs from different countries with similar affinities, can begin on the same day 10 in the morning. To form a group, at least 23 MEPs from a quarter of the Member States must meet; that is, a minimum of seven countries.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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