EU elections 2024 live: Emmanuel Macron dissolves French parliament and calls snap election after huge far-right gains | European elections

Addressing reporters in the European Parliament, Manfred Weberthe leader of the center-right European People’s Party, won the victory.

He invited the Social Democrats and Renew Europe to join an alliance.

Today is a “good day” for the EPP, he said.

Asked why he did not mention the Greens, he said the starting point was to invite socialists and liberals to work together.

The next step will be for the German chancellor and the French president to confirm the proposal for Ursula von der Leyen to become president of the European Commission again, he said.

He also said talks with Hungarian opposition politician Peter Madjar would continue, praising Hungarians who had taken to the streets.

Lisa O’Carroll

Dara Murphyformer vice-president of the centre-right European People’s Party and former Irish Minister for European Affairs described the exit polls in GermanyFrance and Austria were “dismal results for Europe, especially in the second largest member state”.

But he said now the EPP, the Liberals, the Socialists, the Greens and others must stop “playing games” and properly unite against the far right.

“I think all of us who are pro-European and pro-democracy should be saddened by this, frankly,” he said.

“On the other hand, you still see a significant block in the center. If we include the Greens, we have over 450 MEPs who will be returned,” he added.

“There is a huge responsibility now to reduce the games because we now face proper opposition on the far right. We are voted to do a job and we have to do it. And I’ve been encouraged by how clear the EPP has been in saying that they will not work in any way shape or form with the far right.

He was speaking at the EPP celebrations at the Stanhope Hotel in Brussels.

High voter turnout in Germany

Kate Connolly

Electoral participation in Germany for the European elections it was between 64 and 65%, the highest level for these elections since reunification. This compares well with the EU turnout of 51%.

In 1994, 60% of eligible Germans voted. After that, the level dropped to about 40 to 50%. Five years ago, voter turnout was 61.4%.

The highest turnout was 65.7% in 1979, the first European Parliament elections, but this only included voters in West Germany.

Lisa O’Carroll

Manfred WeberGerman MEP and leader of the centre-right European People’s Party, said his group was now the “stabilising” force in Europe following the rise of the far right in GermanyFrance and Austria.

The EPP has 13 prime ministers in its group, including the leaders of Poland, Greece and Ireland, and is currently expected to win 181 seats in the European Parliament.

Weber said that “voters do not choose this far-right positioning. in France and Germany, it’s an internal situation, but we’re increasing our seats and that’s helping us stabilize the center.”

“The left no longer has legitimacy, people voted for the centre-right and this is good news for Europe,” he said.

He spoke at celebrations for the EPP at the Stanhope Hotel in Brussels.

Lisa O’Carroll

Ursula von der Leyenthe president of the European Commission and leading candidate for the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), has just addressed the party faithful at the Stanhope election, greeted with roars of “five more years, five more years” when he took to the stage.

“We’ve had a fantastic campaign, we’ve been determined, we’ve been united, we’ve pulled through and now we’ve won European elections,” she said.

“It’s a good day for the EPP,” she shouted to applause. “We won the election.”

“First I want to thank the voters who voted for us and counted on us,” she said.

Von der Leyen told his campaigners to enjoy the night, but “work” begins tomorrow to deliver to voters across Europe.

At the moment, the preliminary voter turnout for the European elections is 51%, reported the European Parliament.

This is slightly higher than the previous election.

Socialist Party: 31.4%

Center-right Democratic Alliance: 30.6%

Liberal Initiative: 9.8%

Far right Chega: 9.2%

FREE: 4.4%

General list of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Liberal Party (PNL).: 54%

The far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR): 14%

United Right: 11%