Free Republic

Turnout threatens Slovak EU poll Voting has ended in Slovakia's referendum on whether to join the European Union, amid fears that a low turnout could invalidate the poll. Just an hour before the polls closed at 1400 local time (1200 GMT), election officials and local media said only between 47% and 49% of voters had cast their ballots. Fearing turnout might not reach the 50% minimum required by law, Slovak leaders earlier made a dramatic last-minute appeal to voters to go to the polling stations. "The success of the referendum is only valid if the majority of voters take...