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| EU elections: centrist parties expected to lose grip on power | EU elections: centrist parties expected to lose grip on power |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The 40-year stranglehold of the coalition of centrist parties over the levers of power in Brussels looked set to be broken as voters in the European elections turned out in record numbers to bolster radical alternatives including the Greens and the far right. | The 40-year stranglehold of the coalition of centrist parties over the levers of power in Brussels looked set to be broken as voters in the European elections turned out in record numbers to bolster radical alternatives including the Greens and the far right. |
| A populist Eurosceptic surge failed to emerge on Sunday but they were on track to be returned to the European parliament in larger numbers than ever before, with Marine Le Pen’s National Rally celebrating a narrow symbolic victory over Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche in France. | A populist Eurosceptic surge failed to emerge on Sunday but they were on track to be returned to the European parliament in larger numbers than ever before, with Marine Le Pen’s National Rally celebrating a narrow symbolic victory over Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche in France. |
| EU election live results 2019: across Europe | EU election live results 2019: across Europe |
| There were also signs of major success for the Greens, with the party jumping from 50 MEPs in 2014 to as many as 71 across Europe, almost doubling their result in Germany from the previous election to leapfrog the Social Democratic party (SPD) into second place with 22%, the exit polls suggested. | |
| As votes for the centre parties fall away, the results trigger a starting gun on what will be tortuous negotiations over the key jobs in the EU institutions, including Jean-Claude Juncker’s replacement as European commission president. | As votes for the centre parties fall away, the results trigger a starting gun on what will be tortuous negotiations over the key jobs in the EU institutions, including Jean-Claude Juncker’s replacement as European commission president. |
| The makeup of the parliament will be used by the 28 heads of state and government to guide their choice of replacement for Juncker and his counterpart in the European council, Donald Tusk. | The makeup of the parliament will be used by the 28 heads of state and government to guide their choice of replacement for Juncker and his counterpart in the European council, Donald Tusk. |
| The parliament will have a veto over any choice of commission president and on the whole of the commission team. | The parliament will have a veto over any choice of commission president and on the whole of the commission team. |
| The estimated results based on exit polls leave the centre-right European People’s party as the largest in the parliament, but down from 221 seats to 173. | The estimated results based on exit polls leave the centre-right European People’s party as the largest in the parliament, but down from 221 seats to 173. |
| The Socialists and Democrats group also appeared set to drop from 191 seats to 147, leaving the two main groups looking likely to need help from Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) with about 102 seats, bolstered by Macron’s En Marche, and the Greens to form a stable majority. | The Socialists and Democrats group also appeared set to drop from 191 seats to 147, leaving the two main groups looking likely to need help from Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) with about 102 seats, bolstered by Macron’s En Marche, and the Greens to form a stable majority. |
| The European of Nations and Freedom group, which combines populist and far-right parties in countries including France and Italy, looked set to secure 57 seats, up 20 from five years ago. | The European of Nations and Freedom group, which combines populist and far-right parties in countries including France and Italy, looked set to secure 57 seats, up 20 from five years ago. |
| Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of the ALDE, said: “For the first time in 40 years, the two classical parties, socialists and conservatives, will no longer have a majority. And that means that no solid pro-European majority is possible without the help, without the participation of our new centrist group. | Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of the ALDE, said: “For the first time in 40 years, the two classical parties, socialists and conservatives, will no longer have a majority. And that means that no solid pro-European majority is possible without the help, without the participation of our new centrist group. |
| “It’s clear this evening is a historical moment, because there will be a new balance of power in the European parliament.” | “It’s clear this evening is a historical moment, because there will be a new balance of power in the European parliament.” |
| Asked whether Macron’s defeat had ruined the night, Verhofstadt added: “What you call a defeat I call a victory ... Our partner has approximately 22 seats.” | Asked whether Macron’s defeat had ruined the night, Verhofstadt added: “What you call a defeat I call a victory ... Our partner has approximately 22 seats.” |
| The Greens co-leader, Ska Keller, said the group would use its position as potential kingmaker to urge solutions to climate heating, with the group keen to push for a written coalition agreement of pro-European parties. | The Greens co-leader, Ska Keller, said the group would use its position as potential kingmaker to urge solutions to climate heating, with the group keen to push for a written coalition agreement of pro-European parties. |
| Her fellow leader, the Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts, said: “To make a stable majority in this parliament the Greens are now indispensable.” | Her fellow leader, the Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts, said: “To make a stable majority in this parliament the Greens are now indispensable.” |
| Turnout across the EU27 member states was looking to be close to 51% – the highest since 1994. In Denmark a record 63% of voters have gone to the polls, while in France turnout is predicted to be 54%, the highest in 35 years. | Turnout across the EU27 member states was looking to be close to 51% – the highest since 1994. In Denmark a record 63% of voters have gone to the polls, while in France turnout is predicted to be 54%, the highest in 35 years. |
| The turnout breaks a four-decade downward trend. In 2014, 42.6% of the electorate took part. | The turnout breaks a four-decade downward trend. In 2014, 42.6% of the electorate took part. |
| But the high turnout did not lead to success for the traditional parties in the major states. | But the high turnout did not lead to success for the traditional parties in the major states. |
| In Germany, both the large centrist parties had a sobering night, with Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union dropping from 35.3% of the vote in 2014 to 28%, and the centre-left Social Democratic Union facing the worst European results in its history, down to 15.5% from 27.3% five years ago. The exit polls suggested the populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) was up marginally on a projected 10.5%. | In Germany, both the large centrist parties had a sobering night, with Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union dropping from 35.3% of the vote in 2014 to 28%, and the centre-left Social Democratic Union facing the worst European results in its history, down to 15.5% from 27.3% five years ago. The exit polls suggested the populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) was up marginally on a projected 10.5%. |
| The German SPD’s chief whip, Carsten Schneider, said it was a “bitter result, a defeat for us”. | The German SPD’s chief whip, Carsten Schneider, said it was a “bitter result, a defeat for us”. |
| And while staunchly pro-EU parties are still slated to win 493 of the 751 seats in parliament, Maron’s attempt to pitch himself as the saviour of the EU looked to have backfired. | And while staunchly pro-EU parties are still slated to win 493 of the 751 seats in parliament, Maron’s attempt to pitch himself as the saviour of the EU looked to have backfired. |
| Le Pen’s rebranded National Front party appeared to have secured 24% of the vote, compared with 22.5% for the French president’s En Marche, according to two initial projections. | Le Pen’s rebranded National Front party appeared to have secured 24% of the vote, compared with 22.5% for the French president’s En Marche, according to two initial projections. |
| Macron had called the elections “the most important since 1979”, warning the EU was facing “an existential risk” from nationalists seeking to divide the bloc. | Macron had called the elections “the most important since 1979”, warning the EU was facing “an existential risk” from nationalists seeking to divide the bloc. |
| Speaking as the exit polls emerged, the head of En Marche’s list of MEPs, Nathalie Loiseau, insisted the “fight isn’t over”. | Speaking as the exit polls emerged, the head of En Marche’s list of MEPs, Nathalie Loiseau, insisted the “fight isn’t over”. |
| Loiseau, who led Macron’s so-called “Renaissance” candidate list, stressed “the voice of France will once again weigh in the European parliament”. | Loiseau, who led Macron’s so-called “Renaissance” candidate list, stressed “the voice of France will once again weigh in the European parliament”. |
| “Yet we didn’t come in first, and we regret it. The fight isn’t over, we will continue the fight in the parliament … I call on all the pro-European forces to come together and counter those who want to destroy Europe,” she said. | “Yet we didn’t come in first, and we regret it. The fight isn’t over, we will continue the fight in the parliament … I call on all the pro-European forces to come together and counter those who want to destroy Europe,” she said. |
| She concluded: “Long live the republic, long live France, long live Europe.” | She concluded: “Long live the republic, long live France, long live Europe.” |
| In Spain, the socialists looked set to top the polls in a boost for the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, and Labour did well in the Netherlands, surprisingly topping the poll. | In Spain, the socialists looked set to top the polls in a boost for the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, and Labour did well in the Netherlands, surprisingly topping the poll. |
| In Italy, the far-right League party is forecast to secure between 28-31%, taking its haul of seats from five up to 25. | In Italy, the far-right League party is forecast to secure between 28-31%, taking its haul of seats from five up to 25. |
| European parliamentary elections 2019 | European parliamentary elections 2019 |
| European elections | European elections |
| France | France |
| Germany | Germany |
| Europe | Europe |
| Marine Le Pen | Marine Le Pen |
| Emmanuel Macron | Emmanuel Macron |
| news | news |
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