Van Helsing
My glass is half empty.
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2004
- Messages
- 1,390
Senior politicians across Europe have voiced dismay at EU parliamentary election results, after low turnouts and big gains for opposition parties. Governing parties in Germany, France and Poland suffered big losses, while many eurosceptic parties had their best result at the polls.
Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot said the outcome was a "disaster for the existing coalition in many countries".
Turnout reached a record low, with just 45.3% of EU voters casting ballots.
European Parliament spokesman David Harley said turnout was "pathetically low" for many of the 10 new member states, which averaged a mere 26.4%.
One of the worst offenders was Poland, where fewer than 20% of voters turned out.
Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski described his country's apathy as "a disease we will have to look at", adding that there was a need to analyse "why we are so far from civic values".
Outgoing European Parliament President Pat Cox described the results as a "wake-up call" and warned European leaders that they had to demonstrate the EU's relevance to voters.
New UKIP MEP Robert Kilroy-Silk said he wanted to "wreck" the EU Parliament by exposing the waste, corruption and the way "it's eroding our independence". HERE HERE
What a great day across Europe
- In Europe but not Ruled by Europe 
Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot said the outcome was a "disaster for the existing coalition in many countries".
Turnout reached a record low, with just 45.3% of EU voters casting ballots.
European Parliament spokesman David Harley said turnout was "pathetically low" for many of the 10 new member states, which averaged a mere 26.4%.
One of the worst offenders was Poland, where fewer than 20% of voters turned out.
Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski described his country's apathy as "a disease we will have to look at", adding that there was a need to analyse "why we are so far from civic values".
Outgoing European Parliament President Pat Cox described the results as a "wake-up call" and warned European leaders that they had to demonstrate the EU's relevance to voters.
New UKIP MEP Robert Kilroy-Silk said he wanted to "wreck" the EU Parliament by exposing the waste, corruption and the way "it's eroding our independence". HERE HERE
What a great day across Europe

