LOC16:32
13:32 GMT
BRUSSELS, May 26 (KUNA) -- The leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, (ALDE), Guy Verhofstadt, Monday said that ALDE Member Parties emerged on top of the polls in six EU Member States and remains the third political force in the EU Parliament.
"Given the narrower gap between Christian Democrats and Socialists, ALDE's continued role as kingmaker in Parliament is confirmed. We will seek to consolidate this position in the coming days and ensure that the future Parliament does not become a Trojan horse for euro-scepticism," he said in a statement today.
Latest results show the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) winning 214 seats, followed by Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats with 189 seats and ALDE with 66 seats.
"At the same time, Europe clearly needs to change its tune. That message at least is clear. I have been equally outspoken in my criticism of national complacency in responding to the financial crisis and have called incessantly for a radical change in thinking," said Verhofstadt, a former Belgian Prime Minister.
Countries where ALDE parties came top in the polls are Belgium, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland and Netherlands. (end)
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