•A four-day election has shaken the foundations of the European Union (EU), with the far-right rocking ruling parties in France and Germany, the bloc’s traditional driving forces.
•French President Emmanuel Macron called snap national elections as Marine Le Pen’s National Rally humbled pro-EU centrists in polls.
•German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats also suffered as the extreme-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) made massive gains.
•Green and pro-business liberal groups suffered heavy defeats, but mainstream formations held their ground, with the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) remaining the biggest bloc as EU Parliament expands from 705 seats in 2019 to 720 seats in 2024.
•The second-biggest bloc, the centre-left Socialists and Democrats, lost some ground but with 135 seats comfortably retains its place.