Irish, Czechs hold EU vote after Dutch far-right gains

Voters in Ireland and the Czech Republic go to the polls on Friday, the second day of marathon EU elections, after the Netherlands kicked off the ballot with a strong showing by the far right.

The Freedom Party (PVV) of anti-immigration Dutch Eurosceptic Geert Wilders was set for a major boost in the incoming European Parliament, after an exit poll put it in second place with seven seats. That was expected to be just the first in a string of gains for far-right parties across the EU that surveys suggest will see them claim a quarter of the 720 seats up for grabs.