By Martha Moss - 7th June 2009
I think the EPP have won clearly and the socialists have lost a little this evening
Joseph Daul
We're bitterly disappointed. We really had expected and hoped for a better result
Martin Schulz
EPP president Joseph Daul has said his group “have clearly won” the European elections and the Socialists “have lost”.
Daul was speaking as provisional results showed that the centre-right EPP group had secured between 263 and 273 seats in the EU-wide poll, with the Socialists expected to obtain 155 to 165 seats.
“For the EPP-ED group it's a very good evening,” said Daul.
“I think the EPP have won clearly and the Socialists have lost a little this evening.”
Socialist group leader Martin Schulz said it "certainly is a sad evening for social democracy in Europe”.
He added, “We're bitterly disappointed. We really had expected and hoped for a better result.”
Describing results in most countries as “pretty bad”, Schulz said, “We in the Socialist group have had to accept bad defeats in some member states. In overall terms it's a pretty bitter evening for us.”
Insisting that Socialist interests such as pushing for a more social Europe “are more necessary than ever before”, he insisted that his party would “try to continue to push through the Socialist agenda - that is our task”.
Graham Watson, whose ALDE group secured between 78 and 84 seats according to the provisional results, said, “I give a cautious welcome to them.”
With the Liberal Democrat group set to come back at about the same size as the last parliament, Watson said it would “continue to hold the balance between the left and right”.
ALDE would, he argued, “Continue to provide a solid, pro-European force at the centre of our house.”
Hans-Gert Pöttering, the outgoing president of the European parliament, said there was “still room for improvement in terms of turnout”, which was put provisionally at 43.39 per cent on Sunday evening.
Pöttering said he was delighted that the pro-European parties, including the EPP, Socialists, Liberals and Greens, “have actually managed to get a solid, robust, pro-EU majority”.
“Those of us who are pro-Europe will continue in leading Europe to a brighter and better future,” he said.
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