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European voters punish the left Voters steer Europe to the right
(about 9 hours later)
Centre-right parties have done well in elections to the European Parliament at the expense of the left, according to exit polls and initial results. Centre-right parties have done well in elections to the European Parliament at the expense of the left.
The parliament's 736 seats are up for grabs. Preliminary figures suggest the lowest-ever turnout, at 43.55%. Far-right and anti-immigrant parties also made gains, as turnout figures plunged to 43% - the lowest since direct elections began 30 years ago.
BBC correspondents say the figures will dent the EU's credibility. The UK Labour Party, Germany's Social Democrats and France's Socialist Party were heading for historic defeats.
Centre-left parties are projected to have lost almost a quarter of their seats, while the centre-right is only slightly down. The centre-right European People's Party (EPP) looks set to continue to hold power in the parliament.
Some smaller groupings such as the Greens have gained ground, while the third largest group in the parliament, the Liberals, lost seats.
EU PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS Thursday: UK and NetherlandsFriday: Ireland, Czech RepublicSaturday: Latvia, Cyprus, Malta, Slovakia, Italy and Czech RepublicSunday: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden UK far right wins first seat Q&A: European elections 2009 Euro election country-by-country Euro election graphical results
The BBC's Jonny Dymond in Brussels says it looks as if the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) will continue to hold power in the parliament.
Jose Manuel Barroso, who seems set for a second term as European Commission president following the centre-right success, thanked voters and assured them their voices would be heard.Jose Manuel Barroso, who seems set for a second term as European Commission president following the centre-right success, thanked voters and assured them their voices would be heard.
FALLING TURNOUT 1979 - 62%1984 - 59%1989 - 58%1994 - 57%1999 - 50%2004 - 45%2009 - 43% UK Labour's historic defeat Q&A: European elections 2009 Robinson: Brown in a hole
"Overall, the results are an undeniable victory for those parties and candidates that support the European project and want to see the European Union delivering policy responses to their everyday concerns," he said."Overall, the results are an undeniable victory for those parties and candidates that support the European project and want to see the European Union delivering policy responses to their everyday concerns," he said.
Socialist leader Martin Schulz said his group's defeat would be analysed.Socialist leader Martin Schulz said his group's defeat would be analysed.
"It's a sad evening for social democracy in Europe. We are particularly disappointed, [it is] a bitter evening for us," he said."It's a sad evening for social democracy in Europe. We are particularly disappointed, [it is] a bitter evening for us," he said.
Vice-president of the European Commission Margot Wallstrom said the low turnout was a "bad result".
Government defeatsGovernment defeats
Fringe groups appear to have benefited, with far-right parties picking up seats in the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. The British National Party won its first UK seat. Fringe groups appear to have benefited, with far-right and anti-immigrant parties picking up seats in the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Slovakia and Hungary. The British National Party won two seats - its first ever in a nationwide election.
Hungary's Jobbik party was one of several far-right groups to do wellHungary's Jobbik party was one of several far-right groups to do well
Several governments battling the economic downturn look set for a heavy defeat, says the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels. Sweden's Pirate Party, which wants to legalise internet file sharing, won 7% of the national vote and one of the country's 18 seats in the European Parliament.
However, governing parties in France and Germany appear to have done relatively well despite the crisis. In partial results so far: Several governments battling the economic downturn are facing a heavy defeat, says the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels.
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  • French President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP trounced socialist opponents, while greens from the Europe-Ecologie party also made gains
  • German Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing centre-right grouping lost ground but finished ahead of its rivals. The Social Democrats, Ms Merkel's partners in the grand coalition, saw their worst election showing since World War II with just 20.8%
  • In Italy, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right coalition is ahead of the socialist opposition, with between 39% and 43% of the vote, exit polls suggested. The Italian group may be the largest within the EPP
  • In the UK, the governing Labour Party is expecting a serious defeat, slipping to third place
  • Spain's governing Socialists were slightly behind the opposition Popular Party, according to partial results
  • Poland's governing centre-right Civic Platform has gained ground at the expense of the Eurosceptic Law and Justice Party
  • Early results show Portugal's ruling Socialists dropped a massive 18 percentage points, losing out mainly to Greens and far-left parties
 However, governing parties in France and Germany appear to have done relatively well despite the crisis. In results so far:
  • French President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP trounced socialist opponents, while greens from the Europe-Ecologie party also made gains
  • German Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing centre-right grouping lost ground but finished ahead of its rivals. The Social Democrats, Ms Merkel's partners in the grand coalition, saw their worst election showing since World War II
  • In Italy, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right coalition is ahead of the socialist opposition, with around 35% of the vote
  • In the UK, the governing Labour Party suffered a serious defeat, gaining its lowest share of the vote for a century
  • Spain's governing Socialists were slightly behind the opposition Popular Party, according to partial results
  • Poland's governing centre-right Civic Platform has gained ground at the expense of the Eurosceptic Law and Justice Party
  • Early results show Portugal's ruling Socialists dropped a massive 18 percentage points, losing out mainly to Greens and far-left parties
Voters have been choosing representatives mainly from their own national parties, many of which then join EU-wide groupings with similarly-minded parties from other countries.Voters have been choosing representatives mainly from their own national parties, many of which then join EU-wide groupings with similarly-minded parties from other countries.
The largest grouping has for the last five years been the centre-right EPP (288 seats out of a current 785), followed by the centre-left PES (216) and the liberal ALDE (100). class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYHopefully a new parliament will do more to connect with the European electorateErling, Denmark class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=6556&edition=1&ttl=20090608083653">Send us your comments
Provisional figures released by the EU suggested turnout was at an all-time low in some countries, including France (40.5%) and Germany (42.2%). The centre-right EPP retains its place as the largest grouping for the last five years, securing an estimated 267 seats out of 736 (down from the previous 785). The centre-left PES is on 159, while the liberal ALDE has an estimated 81.
In Malta, on the other hand, it was expected to near 80%, and in Brussels, there were long queues outside a polling station on the Grand Place on Sunday. Provisional figures released by the EU suggested turnout was at an all-time low in some countries, including France (40.5%) and Germany (43.3%).
Turnout has fallen at each European election in the last 30 years, from nearly 62% in 1979 to 45.47% in 2004. Lowest turnout was seen in Slovakia (19.6%) and Lithuania (20.9%), while the highest figures came from Luxembourg (91%) and and Belgium (85.9%) - both countries where voting is compulsory.
Overall turnout has fallen at each European election in the last 30 years, from a high of nearly 62% in 1979.
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