Brussels, 13/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - The latest figures, released by the EP on the eve of the first plenary session of the new European Parliament, reveal that 50.14% of MEPs did not sit in the previous Parliament. The countries with the highest percentages of new MEPs are Lithuania (75%), followed by Italy (70.83% - although 12 of those elected have still not officially confirmed that they will take their seats), then Portugal and Greece (68.18% each), Estonia and Cyprus (66.67% each) Latvia (62.5%), Poland (62%), France (59.72%), Slovenia (57.14%), the Netherlands (56%), Finland (53.85%), Austria (52.94%), Luxembourg (50%), Denmark and Slovakia (46.15% each), Hungary (45.45%), Sweden (44.44%), Spain (42%), Ireland (41.67%), Germany (41.41%), Bulgaria (41.18%), Belgium (40.91%), Romania (39.39%), the Czech Republic (36.36%), the United Kingdom (27.78%) and finally Malta (20%).
At the latest count, of the 736 MEPs elected, 265 will sit with the European People's Party, 184 with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, 84 with the Alliance of Liberals and democrats for Europe, 55 with the Greens/EFA, 55 with the European Conservatives and Reformers, 35 with the European United Left/Nordic Green Left, 30 with the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group, and 28 are non-attached. (L.P./transl.rt)