Google Doodles today celebrate European Parliament elections 2024 in Italy, Latvia, Slovakia and Malta

Google released two Doodles on Saturday, June 8, in the wake of elections in four European Union (EU) countries today: Italy, Latvia, Slovakia and Malta.

The Google Doodles on June 8 depict a ballot box with the EU flag to mark European Parliament elections. The flag features a circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background, representing the ideals of unity, solidarity, and harmony among the peoples of Europe.

The 2024 European Parliament elections commenced on June 6 and will conclude on June 9. Most of the EU's 27 countries will hold their votes for the transnational European Parliament on Sunday, June 9. 

Germany, France, Denmark and others are set to go to the polls tomorrow. The Netherlands went to the polls on June 6, while Ireland and the Czech Republic held elections on June 7.

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The European Parliament is one of the three pivotal EU institutions. It plays a crucial role in governing the 27-member bloc. It decides on laws in collaboration with the EU governments that govern policies and the EU market. The European Commission originally proposed these laws, which encompass nearly 450 million people.

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The European Parliament election in Italy will be held on June 8 and 9 as part of the broader 2024 European Parliament election. These elections will determine elected members of the 10th Italian delegation to the European Parliament, which will be held concurrently with the 2024 Italian local elections.

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In Slovakia, citizens will vote on the final two days of voting in EU-wide elections. This development comes after the May 15 assassination attempt on Slovakia's populist premier and Prime Minister, Robert Fico, by a 71-year-old poet. On Friday, another violent incident was reported when a man hit Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in a Copenhagen square. 

The upcoming European Parliament will co-decide on the EU budget for 2028-2034 with EU governments. According to Reuters, the current seven-year budget is around 1.1 trillion euros.

(With agency inputs)