Europe takes a sharp turn to the right

By Simon Taylor - 11.06.2009 / 04:04 CET

Centre-right EPP group emerges victorious; Socialists suffer heavy losses across the EU.

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Fact file

Voter turnout

Aside from the punishment for the centre-left parties, another common feature of the elections was the low turnout: down to a new low of 43.2%, from 45.47% in 2004. Slovakia had the dubious honour for a second time of recording the lowest participation rate, at 19.64% compared to 16.97% in 2004.

The fall in turnout will prompt a new round of soul-searching by European political leaders. It came in spite of an €18 million information campaign about the elections and the promise of greater powers for the Parliament if and when the Lisbon treaty is ratified.

Martin Schulz, the leader of the Socialist MEPs, said that the Parliament had to reflect on its “legitimacy problem”. Graham Watson, the leader of the ALDE group, said that he was “depressed by the relative lack of interest of EU citizens”.