The big centre-right and
centre-left blocs in the European Parliament have
lost their combined majority amid an increase in support for liberals, the
Greens and nationalists.
Pro-EU parties are still expected to be in a majority but the
traditional blocs will need to seek new alliances.
The liberals and Greens had a good night, while nationalists
were victorious in Italy, France and the UK.
Turnout was the highest for 20 years, bucking decades of
decline.
Although populist and far-right parties gained ground in some
countries, they fell short of the very significant gains some had predicted.
The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) remains the
largest bloc and analysts say it is likely to form a grand coalition with the
Socialists and Democrats bloc, with support from liberals and the Greens.
In the UK, the newly-formed Brexit Party claimed a big victory,
and a strong performance by the Liberal Democrats came amid massive losses for
the Conservatives and Labour.
What are the clear trends from the election?
European elections 2019: The latest results
Brexit Party dominates in UK as Tories and Labour suffer
The results as they came in
The turnout bucked a long trend of decline in voter numbers, rising to just under 51% of eligible voters across the 28 member states.
European elections 2019: The latest results
Brexit Party dominates in UK as Tories and Labour suffer
The results as they came in
The turnout bucked a long trend of decline in voter numbers, rising to just under 51% of eligible voters across the 28 member states.
The European Parliament helps shape EU legislation and the results
will play a big part in who gets the key jobs in the European Commission, the
Union’s executive.
What do the results mean for the EU?
Based on current estimates, the previously dominant conservative EPP and Socialists and Democrats blocs will be unable to form a “grand coalition” in the EU parliament without support.
Based on current estimates, the previously dominant conservative EPP and Socialists and Democrats blocs will be unable to form a “grand coalition” in the EU parliament without support.
The EPP was projected to win 179 seats, down from 216 in 2014.
The Socialists and Democrats looked set to drop to 150 seats from 191.
Pro-EU parties are still expected to hold a majority of seats
however, largely due to gains made by the liberal ALDE bloc, and particularly a
decision taken by the party of French President Emmanuel Macron to join the
group. His Renaissance alliance was defeated by the far-right National Rally of
Marine Le Pen.
What we know so far
People to look out for in the EU elections
Is Europe seeing a nationalist surge?
“For the first time in 40 years, the two classical parties, socialists and conservatives, will no longer have a majority,” said Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of the ALDE.
People to look out for in the EU elections
Is Europe seeing a nationalist surge?
“For the first time in 40 years, the two classical parties, socialists and conservatives, will no longer have a majority,” said Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of the ALDE.
“It’s clear this evening is a historical moment, because there
will be a new balance of power in the European Parliament,” he said.
There were major successes for the Greens, with exit polls
suggesting the group would jump from 50 to around 67 MEPs.
But gains for nationalist parties in Italy, France and elsewhere
means a greater say for Eurosceptics who want to curb the EU’s powers.
Matteo Salvini, who leads Italy’s League party, has been working
to establish an alliance of at least 12 parties, and his party set the tone
winning more than 30% of the vote, according to partial results.
Beyond the status quo
This outcome reflects a tendency already apparent in national
elections all over Europe: rejection of the status quo. Look at the beating meted
out to France’s centre-right and centre-left, to Angela Merkel and her Social
Democrat coalition partners, plus the slap in the face delivered to the UK’s
Conservative and Labour parties.
Europe’s voters are looking elsewhere for answers. They’re drawn
to parties and political personalities they feel better represent their values
and priorities.
Some are attracted by the nationalist right, promising a
crackdown on immigration and more power for national parliaments, rather than
Brussels. Italy’s firebrand Deputy PM Matteo Salvini is a successful example,
as is Hungary’s Viktor Orban.
Other voters prefer a pro-European alternative, like the Green
Party and liberal groups. They also performed well in these elections.
Who were the winners and losers?
In Germany, both major centrist parties suffered. Angela
Merkel’s Christian Democrats dropped from 35% of the vote in 2014 to 28%, while
the centre-left Social Democratic Union fell from 27% to 15.5%.
The right-wing populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) performed
worse than expected – projected in exit polls to win 10.5% – while still
improving on its first results in 2014.
In the UK, the newly formed Brexit Party, led by Nigel Farage,
secured about 32% of the vote, amid gains for the Liberal Democrats and
significant losses for the Conservative and Labour parties.
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READ FULL NEWS : https://usacnnnews.com/2019/05/27/european-elections-2019-power-blocs-lose-grip-parliament/
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