Estonians trickle into polling stations in first European election

A few voters braved spring drizzle in sleepy EU newcomer Estonia on Sunday to vote for their six members of the European Parliament for the first time, amid signs of a very low turnout in the Baltic state.

"There have been some 25 people here, but it is much less than at regular elections," Eha Kasenurm, a polling station secretary in the central Estonian town of Rapla told AFP two hours after voting started at 9 am (0600 GMT).

"And there have been no queues," he added.

The streets in capital Tallinn were mostly empty while a government call for flags to be raised on houses appeared to have fallen on deaf ears.

President Arnold Ruutel, Prime Minister Juhan Parts and parliament chairman Ene Ergma on Friday issued a joint statement urging the country's 874,472 registered voters to cast their ballots.

"Today, when Estonia is a member state of the EU, the future of Europe depends also upon us," they said. "Participation in the European Parliament is one part of these rights and responsibilities. Estonia's vitality depends also on Europe's future."

A pre-election opinion poll by EOS Gallup indicated that voters were set to rebuff the prime minister's rightist Res Publica party and choose mainly leftist members for the European Parliament.

Res Publica was likely to finish only fourth with about 12 percent of the vote, according to the poll released on Friday.

The Social Democrats, a minor party, were set to gain the support of the 21 percent of voters, while the left-leaning People's Union, a coalition partner, would get 20 percent, it added.

About 18 percent of voters were likely to support the opposition leftist Centre Party, the Gallup poll said.

Only 7.8 percent of Estonia's electorate -- about half the amount in last year's general election -- took up the chance to vote in advanced polling stations which were open across the country from June 7 to June 9.

Voting is due to close at 8 pm (1700 GMT) and the results of the elections are due to be released late in the evening.

Estonia is one of the EU's most sparsely populated countries, with 1.4 million inhabitants spread over an area larger than the size of Belgium.