BRUSSELS - EU parliamentary elections began in Britain and the Netherlands Thursday with European leaders urging a high turnout amid fears that low turnouts and national protest votes could boost extremist parties.
Over 375 million people are eligible to take part in the elections, which will roll out across recession-hit Europe and end on Sunday when most of the 27 EU nations vote.
But the success of the biggest-ever transnational elections could be tempered by voter apathy and a focus on national woes rather than European perspectives.
European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso noted that voting began on the 20th anniversary of elections in Poland that "paved the way" for the fall of the Iron Curtain "and ultimately the peaceful reunification of our continent."
"The best tribute that we can pay to all those who fought with courage and determination for freedom and democracy, in Poland and elsewhere, is to make use of our democratic rights," he said in a statement.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy exhorted voters there to defend their "convictions" by voting.
"Everyone must understand that Europe is very important to daily lives," said Sarkozy, who last week launched a similar appeal with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Extremist anti-EU right and left wing parties hope to pick up votes and seats in the 736 member assembly -- slimmed down from the current 785 seats -- against a backdrop of rising unemployment and discontent throughout Europe.
Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown -- also facing local elections Thursday -- is particularly under pressure amid a scandal over expenses by members of the country's national parliament which has seen ministerial heads roll.
Opinion polls suggest his governing Labour party could finish behind the main opposition Conservatives -- tipped to win the next general election, due by mid-2010 -- the Liberal Democrats, and even fringe eurosceptics the United Kingdom Independence Party.
All eyes in the Netherlands are on far-right leader Geert Wilders.
Pollsters from the London School of Economics and Dublin's Trinity College predicted that his Party for Freedom could even come out in front of the Christian Democratic (CDA) party of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende by six seats to five.
Preliminary results from the Dutch votes are scheduled to be released late Thursday.
The European Commission is considering action against the Netherlands if results are announced before its fellow EU nations have voted, an informed source said.
"It is not for member states to publicly announce the results of elections prior to the completion of voting in all member states, that will be at 10:00 pm (2000 GMT) on Sunday and not before," EU commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger said, without being drawn on possible action.
EU voter turnout has fallen with each election since the first in 1979, despite the growing role the parliament plays in adopting, amending or rejecting laws in Europe.
Polls have indicated this week could see an average lower than the 45.6 percent recorded in 2004.
However market research group Synovate said that early Dutch voting levels Thursday were higher than in five years ago.
Despite the economic crisis the European People's Party -- an umbrella group for centre-right parties from across the EU -- is set remain the biggest political bloc in the parliament. They look set to win 262 seats and 35 percent of votes cast, according to the final pre-election opinion poll.
And that despite the fact that the British and Czech Conservatives have left the EPP, deeming it too europhile.
The Predict09.eu survey predicted the Socialists will remain in second place on 194 seats but in a "more fragmented" assembly.
On Friday, attention will turn to Ireland and the Czech Republic.
Cyprus, Latvia, Malta and Slovakia will go to the polls on Saturday before Europe's Super Sunday, when the other 19 EU nations -- including France, Germany, Italy and Spain -- will round off the voting.