Blow to Left in E.E.C. election

Press, 13 June 1979, Page 8

Blow to Left in E.E.C. election

\ZPA-Reuter Brussels Voters in the first direct elections to the European Common Market's Parliament have given the Rightist and Centre grouping a clear majority over the Socialists and Communists. The world’s first international elections, held last Thursday and Sunday in the nine member States, of the European-Economic Community produced a low turnout, averaging just over 60 per cent. The socialist parties were hit particularly hard, suffering a rout in Britain at the hands of the Conservatives, and losing ground in Denmark and West Germany. Although the Socialists will still be the largest single group in the 410-seat Parliament — latest computer predictions give them about 111 seats — they will be heavily outnumbered by some 107 Christian Democrats in the Centre and 63 Right-wing Conservatives. Final results have been announced in all countries except France and Ireland. The French Gaullists suffered their worst national electoral set-back for more than 20 years, but they were likely to add 15 more seats tc the Right-wing total when the French, count was completed. French Centrists, led by the Health Minister (Mr Simone Veil) who has the support of President Valery Giscard d’Estaing. will hold a large proportion of the 40 seats forecast for the Liberals. There will also be 44 Communists. When the new Parliament meets for the first time in the French city of Strasbourg on July 17, it

will have no more power over the E.E.C. than the old 198-seat Assembly, which consisted of appointed members. Real power in the world’s largest trading bloc will remain with the Ministers from the nine national Governments, who take decisions on proposals made by the E.E.C.’s civil servants. The ministers' only obligation is to consult the Assembly. However, the Parliament does have limited contro over the Community’s SI9,DOOM annual Budget, an< can reject it outright. It aisc has the extreme power t< sack the commission. Britain polled the most astounding results, with i landslide victory for the I Conservatives of the Prime i Minister (Mrs Margaret Thatcher). Her party won 60 of the j country’s 81 seats t< i Labour’s 17, owing to < .'combination of anti-E.E.C

feeling, apathy on the left, and Britain’s simple majority voting system in large Euro-seats of 500,000 voters.

The leading Dutch Socialist candidate. Dr Anne Vondeling, has attacked the British Labour Party for its negative views on the E.E.C., saying it had robbed Left-wingers of a clear victory in the Parliament.

“What the British have done is terrible.” he said: “The British effect is extremely regrettable"

Mr Jean-Francois Pintat, of France, the leader of the Liberal group in the old Assembly, attacked Britain for its voting system which he said had distorted the results.

The British Liberals, who polled 13.1 per cent of the votes without winning a single seat, would have won 10 seats under a system of proportional representation, Mr Pintat said.

Foreign Ministers of the E.E.C. countries will have their first chance to discuss the elections when they meet in Luxemburg today to arrange a Common Market summit meeting in Strasbourg next week. The Ministers will also (discuss the world energy crisis, partly in preparation for the seven-nation Tokyo economic summit meeting or. June 28 and 29. Taking part there will be Japan, the United States, Canada, and the E.E.C.’s big four —

France, Britain, Italy, and West Germany. The Ministers will also consider new textile-trade arrangements with China and relations with the seven countries in the European Free Trade Association.