This WEEK in the European Union

This week EU citizens go to the polls across all 27 member states between Thursday and Sunday to elect a new European Parliament.

Despite concerted efforts by European parties and some MEPs, themes remain resolutely national with headlines in the Italian papers preoccupied with what may or may not have gone in prime minister Berlusconi's love life and papers in Britain full of the expense scandals concerning MPs.

The big issue of the election days will be voter turnout, which has ...