EU Elections: Ultra-Right Results Were Below Forecasts

The EPP will become the largest political group in the new convocation.

The ultra-right and Eurosceptic deputies, despite forecasts, failed to secure enough mandates in the European Parliament elections to outweigh the centrist forces.

These are the preliminary results of the vote, published on the EU website, writes Evropeiska Pravda.

The center-right European People's Party (EPP) will become the largest political group in the European Parliament, and the centrist, liberal and socialist parties will retain the majority, which in the previous convocation proved to be pro-Ukrainian.

The EPP, the liberal Renew Europe and the Social Democrats (S&D) are expected to have around 403 seats.

At the same time, the leading candidate from the European People's Party, Ursula von der Leyen, needs the support of 361 European deputies to ensure a second term as president of the European Commission – provided that she receives the approval of European leaders to hold the office.

Pure figures are in favor of Ursula von der Leyen, although it is expected that not all MPs from the coalition will vote for her and she may need the support of lawmakers from other political groups.

The soft Eurosceptic right-wing party European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) will have 73 seats, while the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID)

will have 58. Thus, together, these two right-wing groups claim 131 seats which is less than the polls predicted.

However, what impact the Eurosceptic parties will have will depend on their ability to bridge differences and work together. Now they are divided between two different political groups, and some parties and legislators, including Viktor Orbán's Fidesz and Alternative for Germany, are still outside these groups.