Centre-right parties have done well in elections to the European Parliament at the expense of the left.
Far-right and anti-immigrant parties also made gains, as turnout figures plunged to 43% – the lowest since direct elections began 30 years ago.
The UK Labour Party, Germany’s Social Democrats and France’s Socialist Party were heading for historic defeats.
The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) looks set to 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.
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Updates:
1:29 pm EDT, June 8th, 2009 — Battered and bruised
1:32 pm EDT, JUne 8th, 2009 — BNP to get £4million cash boost
1:36 pm EDT, June 8th, 2009 — UKIP cashes in on Brown backlash
2:12 pm EDT, June 8th, 2009 — Swedish pirates capture EU seat
BNP got its first EU seats.
Kind of put the WS attack thread into perspective, non? So much for no one cheering on the bad guys …
This a problem with the system of proportional representation. Even among the small number that did vote for BNP, many were likely more interested in their message of withdrawing from the EU.
How could a Parliament with a gaggle of over 700 representatives sitting around tables discussing obscure subjects like transfats possibly represent the voter? They can’t and that is why only 43% bothered to vote and many that did, voted for wild marginal parties.