2009-06-08 03:05:52
Centre-right parties have done well in elections to the European Parliament at the expense of the left.
Far-right and anti-immigrant parties also made gains, as turnout figures plunged to 43% - the lowest since direct elections began 30 years ago.
The UK Labour Party, Germany's Social Democrats and France's Socialist Party were heading for historic defeats.
The centre-right European People's Party (EPP) looks set to continue to hold power in the parliament.
Jose Manuel Barroso, who seems set for a second term as European Commission president following the centre-right success, thanked voters and assured them their voices would be heard.
FALLING TURNOUT
"Overall, the results are an undeniable victory for those parties and candidates that support the European project and want to see the European Union delivering policy responses to their everyday concerns," he said.
Socialist leader Martin Schulz said his group's defeat would be analysed.
"It's a sad evening for social democracy in Europe. We are particularly disappointed, [it is] a bitter evening for us," he said.
Vice-president of the European Commission Margot Wallstrom said the low turnout was a "bad result".
Government defeats
Fringe groups appear to have benefited, with far-right and anti-immigrant parties picking up seats in the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Slovakia and Hungary. The British National Party won two seats - its first ever in a nationwide election.
Sweden's Pirate Party, which wants to legalise internet file sharing, won 7% of the national vote and one of the country's 18 seats in the European Parliament.
Several governments battling the economic downturn are facing a heavy defeat, says the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels.
However, governing parties in France and Germany appear to have done relatively well despite the crisis. In results so far:
Voters have been choosing representatives mainly from their own national parties, many of which then join EU-wide groupings with similarly-minded parties from other countries.
HAVE YOUR SAY Hopefully a new parliament will do more to connect with the European electorate Erling, Denmark
The centre-right EPP retains its place as the largest grouping for the last five years, securing an estimated 267 seats out of 736 (down from the previous 785). The centre-left PES is on 159, while the liberal ALDE has an estimated 81.
Provisional figures released by the EU suggested turnout was at an all-time low in some countries, including France (40.5%) and Germany (43.3%).
Lowest turnout was seen in Slovakia (19.6%) and Lithuania (20.9%), while the highest figures came from Luxembourg (91%) and and Belgium (85.9%) - both countries where voting is compulsory.
Overall turnout has fallen at each European election in the last 30 years, from a high of nearly 62% in 1979.