According to Federal Returning Officer Ruth Brand, there are signs of greater interest in the European elections in Germany than five years ago.
As of 2pm (1200 GMT), 32.3% of eligible voters had exercised their right to vote, she said. Postal votes are not included in this figure.
According to figures from 2019, turnout at the time was 29.4%. According to Brand, the half-year figures from 2019 and now are not exactly comparable methodologically.
It is not yet possible to provide precise figures about postal voters. Individual municipalities, such as Frankfurt, had reported a higher percentage in 2024 than in 2019, she said.
The European elections five years ago in Germany saw an increase in voter turnout compared to the previous election in 2014, where the turnout at 2pm was 25.6% and the total turnout was 48.1%.
Polling stations in Germany are open until 6 p.m. on Sunday.
