European elections’ main impact likely to be felt in national capitals

Mainstream groups hold on to majority in European parliament but far right gains weaken governments in France and Germany

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So in the end, with a couple of alarming wobbles, the centre held. As polls predicted, the mainstream pro-EU alliance of centre-right, centre-left, liberal and Green parties in the European parliament hung on, quite comfortably, to its majority.

Europe's national conservative and far-right forces made big gains, ending up with just under a quarter of MEPs in the 720-seat assembly - their highest tally ever. But they did not do uniformly well, and in some places fared worse than forecast.