Europe

BRUSSELS (AP) — The Latest on elections for the European Parliament (all times local):

4 p.m.

Turnout appears to be up in several of the European Union’s largest countries for the continent-wide battle for influence at the European Parliament.

Turnout was up slightly in Spain, France and Germany by mid-afternoon.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Across Europe, anti-EU populists and proponents of closer unity made a final push for support Sunday as 21 nations went to the polls in a continent-wide battle for influence at the European Parliament.

Right-wing nationalists who want to slash immigration into Europe and return power to national governments are expected to make gains, though mainstream parties are tipped to hold onto power in the 751-seat legislature that sits in both Brussels and Strasbourg.

BERLIN (AP) — Israel’s president said Sunday he is shocked by a German official’s comment that he wouldn’t advise Jews to wear skullcaps in parts of the country, which is drawing mixed reactions at home.

Felix Klein, the government’s anti-Semitism commissioner, was quoted Saturday as saying: “I cannot recommend to Jews that they wear the skullcap at all times everywhere in Germany.” He didn’t elaborate on what places and times might be risky.

26 May 2019; DW: Police imposed strict conditions on a march by a far-right party contesting the EU elections, amid concerns over anti-Semitism. Counterprotesters outnumbered participants in the extremist political group's rally.

A rally by "Die Rechte" (The Right) in the western German city of Dortmund was met with a counterprotest on Saturday, as people took to the streets to voice their disdain with the far-right party.

26 May 2019; DW: Exit polls have indicated a large majority in favor of easing restrictions on divorce, more than 20 years after it was first permitted. There was also a majority for a united Ireland.

Exit polls published after Friday's constitutional referendum in Ireland indicate 87% in favor and only 12% against two amendments to the constitution on divorce.

National turnout was around 53%, with some constituencies reporting more than 60%.

26 May 2019; DW: The 24 Ukrainian sailors in Russian custody need to be immediately released, a UN maritime court has ruled. Ukraine's president said Moscow could show its readiness to end the Crimea conflict by releasing the sailors.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on Saturday declared that the Ukrainian sailors detained by Russian authorities must be released with immediate effect.

26 May 2019; DW: Anti-Semitic attacks in Germany have surged in the past few years. Last year, an attack on two men wearing yarmulkes — also known as kippahs — on a street in Berlin caused widespread outrage in in the country.

The German government's anti-Semitism commissioner on Saturday warned the country's Jewish community to avoid donning yarmulkes, the traditional Jewish head coverings for males, in some public spaces due to a rise in anti-Semitic crimes.

26 May 2019; DW: A crowdfunding campaign to sue the British government over the denial of votes to UK-based European nationals has hit its initial target. Hundreds registered complaints after their names were crossed off voter lists.

The British government is facing a potential legal challenge over the denial of votes to EU citizens, after many claimed to have been turned away from polling stations by officials.

26 May 2019; DW: Polling stations in 21 EU states are set to open — seven states have already voted. Once the ballots are counted, the new EU Parliament is expected to drift slightly to the right, as Bernd Riegert reports from Brussels.

PRAGUE (AP) — The European Parliament elections shifted to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Malta and Latvia on Saturday as voters in those European Union nations took part in a landmark ballot in which resurgent nationalists are challenging traditional parties over the future of Europe.