European Elections: Left defeated across the continent

The New Parliament

EUROPE'S LEFT was licking its wounds yesterday as results in European parliamentary elections showed the centre-right outpolling its rivals in two-thirds of member states, and forming the largest bloc in Strasbourg for the first time in 20 years.

The German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroder, summoned party leaders to a special session in Bonn to discuss his SPD party's huge losses, hinting of a policy shift to the right. "We must fight for the new centre. The voters have admonished us, and we will listen," said Mr Schroder.

The dismal news for the left was repeated across the European Union with the notable exception of France, where the Socialists exploited deep divisions among their rivals, and in a handful of smaller nations including Portugal and Denmark.

These results apart, the poll represents a big rebuff for Europe's ruling elite as the voters delivered their first judgement on a left-wing alliance that dominates 11 of the 15 governments of the EU.

After a lacklustre campaign culminating in a terrible turn-out, there was little comfort to be drawn. Amid the turmoil the position of the Socialist leader in the European Parliament, Pauline Green, is under threat.

All this is a far cry from last autumn when Europe's left emerged as dominant after changes of government in Germany and Italy. The Socialist group grew to enjoy a significance well beyond its parliamentary functions, acting as a forum for Europe's prime ministers to meet and make deals. Its leaders, Tony Blair, Chancellor Schroder, Italy's Massimo D'Alema and France's Lionel Jospin, formed the core of Europe's inner circle.

But while the election results have meant a dramatic turnaround in the composition of the European Parliament, they also present problems for the victorious centre-right. The clearest challenge will be to maintain unity in the face of far-reaching change in the character of the right's umbrella group, the European People's Party (EPP).

Some of the biggest casualties of the elections have been the smaller, more traditional Christian Democrat parties that once provided the backbone of the EPP. They include the Belgian CVP, which played an important role in the "Athens group", a caucus of small, traditionalist Christian Democrat parties.

The victors, primarily in Germany Italy and Britain, threaten to change the character of the alliance. Two of thestrongest performances came from the Eurosceptic Christian Social Union in Germany, and from Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia in Italy. Both hail from a more nationalistic right-wing strain than the Christian Democracy of Helmut Kohl.

Then there are the British Tories. Officially they have not yet decided whether to continue their link with the EPP, but if they do take their seats, several fierce Eurosceptics will be added to the ranks.