Tuesday, June 15, 2004
EU elections produce crushing no-confidence votes
People across Europe have delivered crushing blows of no confidence in their governments, as the European Parliament elections produced a ragtag influx of anti-European and rebel MPs. Turn-out was low and those casting votes did so in droves in protest against their own governments or the idea of the European Parliament itself.
Up to 15 percent of the European seats will now be held by representatives who do not have faith in the institution itself, and the tendency of voters to cast their votes based on domestic issues has landed rebels in the Parliament.
The incomplete counting so far indicates that centre-right parties will hold about a third of the 732-seat assembly, and socialist parties about a quarter, with the remainder held by Liberal Democrats, Eurosceptics and small country-based parties.
With results available for 68 of Britain's 78 seats, the United Kingdom Independence Party quadrupled its representation to 12 seats. Tony Blair's Labour Party won just 17 seats and the Conservatives 25. Not all the newly elected UKIP members are certain they will attend the European Parliament and the party's general thrust is for EU withdrawal.
The newly elected governments of Greece and Spain prevailed in their countries, and Belgium's ruling Liberal-Socialist Government held its own. But everywhere else, ruling parties received hostile receptions.
People across Europe have delivered crushing blows of no confidence in their governments, as the European Parliament elections produced a ragtag influx of anti-European and rebel MPs. Turn-out was low and those casting votes did so in droves in protest against their own governments or the idea of the European Parliament itself.
Up to 15 percent of the European seats will now be held by representatives who do not have faith in the institution itself, and the tendency of voters to cast their votes based on domestic issues has landed rebels in the Parliament.
The incomplete counting so far indicates that centre-right parties will hold about a third of the 732-seat assembly, and socialist parties about a quarter, with the remainder held by Liberal Democrats, Eurosceptics and small country-based parties.
With results available for 68 of Britain's 78 seats, the United Kingdom Independence Party quadrupled its representation to 12 seats. Tony Blair's Labour Party won just 17 seats and the Conservatives 25. Not all the newly elected UKIP members are certain they will attend the European Parliament and the party's general thrust is for EU withdrawal.
The newly elected governments of Greece and Spain prevailed in their countries, and Belgium's ruling Liberal-Socialist Government held its own. But everywhere else, ruling parties received hostile receptions.
