By Brian Johnson - 8th June 2009
Far-right and extremist fringe parties have benefitted from the poor performance of Europe's Socialist parties in the European elections.
As the results filtered through on Sunday evening it became clear that Europe's Socialists had taken a severe beating across the EU.
Socialist governments in the UK, Spain, Hungary and Bulgaria were on the receiving end of voter anger as well as low turnout apathy, while centre-right governments in Germany and, Italy managed to survive relatively unscathed and in the case of France and Poland, emerge victorious.
As the extent of the Socialist collapse was revealed, it became clear that fears over the rise of extremist and far-right protest parties was well-founded.
In the UK, the British National Party won its first two seats in the parliament.
Elsewhere Geert Wilders' anti-Islamic PVV party made a sensational breakthrough in the Netherlands, grabbing 17 per cent of the vote. The right wing party is expected to end up with four of the country's 25 seats in the parliament.
In Hungary, the far-right party Jobbik party received just under 15 per cent, winning votes from the Socialists to send three new deputies to Brussels.
In Austria, anti-immigrant and fringe parties won almost 18 per cent of the vote, and the Danish right wing People's party grabbed almost 15 per cent of the popular vote.
Roundup of results from Europe's six largest countries
Germany:
Angela Merkel's centre right Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister, the Christian Social Union, took a few knocks on the night, but maintained their position at the top of the polls with just under 38 per cent of the vote.
The country's Socialists took a heavy beating with the worst result in their post-war history, capturing a mere 20 per cent of the vote.
Germany's Greens came third, capturing 12 per cent of the vote and adding one MEP bringing their tally to 14 MEPs.
The liberal Free Democratic Party gained five seats, doubling their vote to around 11 per cent.
Turnout – 43.3 per cent
France
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling centre-right UMP party had a successful night, gaining 13 new deputies and winning 28 per cent of the vote to send a total of 30 MEPs to the parliament's EPP group.
The French Socialist vote collapsed, down by almost 20 per cent to 16.8 per cent. The Socialist rout meant they lost 14 deputies in the European parliament.
It was a good night for the new French Green coalition, which gained eight new MEPs bringing their total to 14, equal with the Socialists.
Turnout – 40.48
United Kingdom
The UK governing Labour party suffered a humiliating defeat, pushed into third place behind the conservatives and the eurosceptic UK Independence party.
Labour lost five seats, ending up with just 11 MEPs and 15 per cent of the vote. The British Tories topped the polls on 28.5 per cent, gaining an MEP to put them on 24 members.
Ukip had a successful night, coming second overall and gaining a seat, putting them on 13 members.
The Liberal Democrats came fourth on just 14 per cent, though they also gained another seat.
The right wing British National Party (BNP) will enter the parliament for the first time, gaining two seats. Labour stalwart and constitutional expert, Richard Corbett was one of the casualties in the UK's swing away from the mainstream parties, losing his seat to the BNP.
Turnout –34.27
Italy
Silvio Berlusconi's convoluted love life appeared to have had a limited impact on Italian voters as the billionaire premier's Freedom Party dropped a couple of points, but remained the winner on the night securing around 35 per cent of the vote.
Berlusconi's coalition allies, the Northern League picked up two per cent to end on around 11 per cent.
The opposition centre-left Democratic Party, won 26.5 per cent of the vote while the smaller opposition Italy of Values party won around 7.8 per cent of the vote.
Turnout – 66.46 per cent
Spain
Spain's opposition centre-right Partido Popular won 23 seats as they grabbed the largest share of the vote with 43 per cent.
Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's ruling Socialists dropped around four points ending up with 39 per cent of the vote.
The Spanish government will begin their EU presidency in January 2010 with 21 Socialist MEPs in the parliament.
Turnout – 44.3 per cent
Poland
The ruling centre-right Civic Platform were clear winners on the night, with around 45 per cent of the vote. Their governing coalition partners, the Polish Peasant's Party grabbed around seven per cent. Between the two, they will deliver the parliament's EPP group with 28 MEPS.
The right wing and eurosceptic opposition Law and Justice Party came second with around 28 per cent and will have around 15 MEPs. The party is expected to form the nucleus with the UK conservatives of a new right of centre political grouping.
Ex-communist group the Democratic Left Alliance and the centre-left Union of Labour took 12 per cent of the vote, sending the parliament's beleaguered Socialist grouping seven deputies.
Turnout – 24.53 per cent
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