Hello and welcome to News

Out of the BBC World Service. We're coming to you live from our studios in

London. I'm James Menendez. European elections are sometimes

dismissed as the most important

elections that don't really matter. Hundreds of millions of people take part in the

27 different countries that make up the European Union. But the Parliament's 720 members don't have a great deal of power.

Many of them aren't at all well known in their home countries.

And yet, there's a huge amount riding on the outcome.

What sort of union devoteers want?

And what do they want it to do when it comes to the war in Ukraine, trade with the rest of the world,

immigration and policies to combat global warming.

The opinion polls suggest that the far-right and right-wing nationalist parties are likely to do well.

The Netherlands voted on Thursday, Ireland and the Czech Republic are voting today

and then most other countries will go to the polls on Sunday.

Well in a moment we'll look at the consequences of that rightward shift.

But first let's hear one of the factors driving it and perhaps surprisingly it is

young people.

Two million teenagers are eligible to vote for the first time.

From Brussels, Sophia Batica reports.

I'm outside the European Parliament, a great building that towers over one of the main squares

in Brussels. A huge sign reads, Use Your Vote.

Over the next three days, people across Europe are going to the polls to elect members of this place

...