EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Anti-treaty party Libertas is hoping to field at least 100 candidates for the upcoming June European elections, its chief Declan Ganley has said.

In Brussels on Thursday (19 March) the Irish businessman who speared-headed a successful no campaign ahead of Ireland's referendum on the Lisbon Treaty last year said:

Libertas hopes to field candidates in each member states

"We expect to be running over one hundred candidates. How much over the 100 remains to be seen, it could be significantly more than that."

Fresh from having announced his intention to stand in the elections himself, Mr Ganley believes the number of seats - there are 736 up for grabs - that Libertas manages to win will depend on turnout.

If it is low, he says his political group "will not do well at all." By contrast, a high turnout could result in a surprise, "maybe even something shocking."