The European Parliament will continue to be dominated by the centre-right for the next five years, but the 736-seat assembly is set to be more fragmented this time round as many small parties made the threshold. The Socialists, who had hoped to make major gains at the polls by way of a backlash against the current economic crisis, kept their second place in parliament, while the Liberals remain in third place.
Joseph Daul, head of the EPP, said he could not be more satisfied with the results, while Liberal leader Graham Watson indicated his faction's showing was in line with what he expected. "That means we will continue to hold the balance between the left and the right, to be the force who determines the outcome of most of the votes and should be able to provide the solid pro-European force at the centre of our House," Mr Watson said.
However the Socialists expressed deep disappointment. Martin Schulz, head of the socialist group, said it was a "very bitter evening" for the party and that they "had hoped for a better result." In Germany, the Social Democrats, a junior partner in the governing coalition, polled 20.8 percent an all time low. Meanwhile, Britain's Labour took a bashing, as did the French Socialists while Italy's conflict-ridden centre-left and Spain's centre-left government also fared poorly. The centre-right maintained its lead in France, Germany and Italy.
Among the main victors are the Greens, who gained in the parliament. In France, the green party (16.2%) were almost at a level with the French Socialists (16.8%). In Germany, they polled in third place (12.1%) ahead of the liberals (11%).
In the United Kingdom
With a turnout of 34.3 percent, the Conservatives obtained 27.7 percent of the votes cast in the elections in Britain on 4 June. The Tories will get 25 seats in the newly elected European Parliament, up from 24 so far, final results showed on Monday (8 June). The British Conservatives have said they will leave the EPP and set up their own anti-federalist grouping.
The European elections in Britain saw the UK Independence Party (UKIP), advocating withdrawal from the EU, scoring its best result ever and coming second to the Tories.
The Labour party of prime minister Gordon Brown, badly hit by the recent scandal over MPs' abuses of the expenses system, only came third at 15.7 percent and lost five of its 18 MEP seats. British media note that it was Labour's worst score since World War II.
Euobserver
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