European Elections: EPP Wins, Historic Low Turnout

Strong Vote for Green Parties in Germany, Austria, Ireland

16-Year-Olds Turn Out in Record Numbers, Blaming Brexit and Climate Change

STRASBOURG, France — The center-right European People’s Party (EPP) has emerged as the clear winner of the European Parliament elections, according to projections released Sunday evening, while turnout hit a record low, preliminary figures showed.

The EPP, which has led the European Parliament since its first direct elections in 1979, is projected to win 182 of the 705 seats in the new Parliament, down from 217 in the outgoing legislature. The center-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group is projected to win 147 seats, up from 182, while the centrist Renew Europe group is projected to win 108 seats, up from 74.

The Green parties made strong gains in several countries, including Germany, Austria and Ireland, while the far-right parties generally underperformed expectations. In Germany, the Greens are projected to win 20.5 percent of the vote, up from 10.7 percent in 2014, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is projected to win 11 percent, down from 12.6 percent.