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Wave of support for centre-right across Europe
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent08.06.09
David Cameron was heading towards No10 on a wave of support for the centre-Right across Europe. Rival parties on the Left were left counting their losses as far-Right and anti-immigrant groups made gains.
The Tories in Britain, who have been hit by the MPs' expenses scandal, marginally increased their share of the vote by 1.2 per cent to 28.6 per cent after results from 63 out of 69 seats.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP made spectacular gains against socialist opponents, while Greens from the Europe-Ecologie party also won greater backing.
Flamboyant Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right coalition was ahead of the socialist opposition after almost a third of results.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing centre-Right grouping lost ground but still ended ahead of its rivals. The Social Democrats, are part of Ms Merkel's grand coalition, suffered their worst election results for 60 years.
In Portugal, the ruling Socialists dropped a massive 18 percentage points, losing out mainly to Greens and far-Left parties.
As results were being counted in Spain, the governing Socialists were slightly behind the opposition Popular Party.
Poland's governing centre-Right Civic Platform was gaining support while the rival Eurosceptic Law and Justice Party was hit with setbacks.
Turnout in Europe was expected to be 43-44 per cent, compared to 62 per cent in 1979.
