The biggest losers of the election appear to be the Greens, who have seen their support plummet by a quarter compared to five years ago. However, the Greens, with their 53 seats, could play an important role by strengthening centrist majorities as an alternative to far-right parties.
Final data from all 27 EU countries is expected to be made public early Monday morning.
The results appear to have largely maintained the balance of power in the European Parliament, which approves legislation, the bloc’s budget and its top leaders, including the president of the powerful European Commission, the EU’s executive branch.
The first test for the weak centrist majority will be the approval of the new president of the European Commission, expected in July.
Von der Leyen, who was approved for her post five years ago by a narrow margin of just nine votes and is likely to be nominated again, will have to push hard to secure her nomination.
Having narrowly avoided the need to bring radical right parties behind it, a scenario that would have alienated centrists, it will now likely face calls for more moderate political commitments on climate, particularly from socialists and liberals whose will need to get the votes. secure a second mandate at the helm of the Commission.
