Bush fallout: Incumbent Parties Set Back in Europe-Wide Vote

[DaveSZ]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39028-2004Jun13.html


By Keith B. Richburg, Page A14

BARCELONA, June 13 -- Voters across Europe severely rebuked many incumbent governments in elections in 25 countries for seats in the European Parliament, early returns and exit polls showed Sunday evening.

The dominant trend emerging was that people favored opposition candidates for seats in the 732-seat body, a key lawmaking institution of the European Union. Parties that are skeptical of further European integration also did well.

The rebuke was spread out equally among governments that supported the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and those that opposed the war. In countries whose governments supported the war, such as Britain, political analysts said that public opposition to the invasion was an important factor in defeats of the ruling parties.

The elections, which took place Thursday through Sunday, have no direct effect on sitting national governments. But the results are viewed as a barometer for future domestic elections.