11:05pm: Fidesz-KDNP clinch sweeping victory
Winning 52.26 percent of the votes and the right to elect 13 representatives, Fidesz closes the elections on an all-time high.
The Democratic Coalition won 16.26 percent of the votes, Momentum 9.92 percent, while MSZP-Parbeszed earned 6.68 percent.
10:30pm: Minister of State Csaba Dömötör statement
“Fidesz will realise the will of the people and demand a stricter approach toward migration in the European Parliament,” Csaba Dömötör said.
“Hungarian voters chose a sense of security, not just representatives,” added the politician in a video interview with Origo.
“This is the most crucial European election to date, no doubt,” remarked Dömötör, before noting that “the main question at stake was whether voters would still choose to back the governing parties or not.”
10:20pm: PiS leads in Poland
"Law and Justice victory proves that the Polish people expect change to take place not only in Poland, but in Europe as well," commented party leader, Mateusz Morawieczki.
PiS attained a vast majority, 42.4 percent of the votes. The European Coalition (KE) came second, with 39.1 percent of the votes.
10pm: Máté Kocsis statement
"We’d like to thank those who voted for us today, and for our tireless, incredible activists, the thousands of people who participated in our social media campaign and helped canvassing. Their invaluable support contributed to our success," Máté Kocsis said on social media.
"We’d also like to thank again those who chose us, who enabled the members of the Fidesz-KDNP to represent Hungary in the future," he added.
9:50pm: Fidesz receives a two-third majority, according to Magyar Nemzet
With 98 percent of the votes counted, the party earned at least 56 percent of the votes, and is set to elect 14 representatives.
The Democratic Coalition obtained 16.3 percent of the votes and the right to elect four representatives. Momentum earned 9.7 percent, allowing them to nominate two representatives.
This is a historic defeat for the opposition.
9:40pm: Zoltán Kovács statement
International Spokesman Zoltán Kovács said this is a watershed moment in politics, and the Hungarian voters know this.
“Migration poses the biggest issue for voters across Europe,” the Secretary of State emphasized. “European politics is about to undergo fundamental changes. Regional co-operations are expected to come to the fore,” he added.
9:30pm: Hunor Kelemen statement
Hungarians based in Transylvania will be strongly represented in the European Parliament, says Hunor Kelemen.
"5.4 percent of the voters, approximately 440-450,000 people chose us," the leader of RMDSZ estimates.
9:20pm: Fidesz in the lead
Fidesz is in the lead, having secured at least 53 percent of the votes, allowing them to elect 13 representatives.
With 88 percent of the votes counted, Fidesz is set to attain an all-time high.
The Democratic Coalition received 16 percent of the votes, earning the right to elect four representatives.
9pm: Exit polls predict:
- The European People’s party remains the largest in parliament, taking 173 seats.
- The Socialists & Democrats remain the second-largest force, but are reduced to 147 seats.
- The Liberals will be the third-largest group winning 102 seats (up from 67 seats)
- Greens are on course for 71 seats, big gains on the 50 seats they won in 2014.
- The Conservative Eurosceptic group set up by David Cameron loses seats and Nigel Farage’s group makes limited gains.
- The far-right Europe of Nations and Freedom group gains 11 seats, but not the breakthrough many had forecast.
8:50pm: PM Orbán comments
“I couldn’t be more confident. The voter turnouts and the predictions show promising results,” Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview with Magyar Nemzet.
Our position is clear: Hungary will not support immigration, and aims to elect European leaders able to respect this.
“I strongly hope we will be able to happily reminisce about the incredible results achieved today in the future.”
8:20pm: Le Pen to come up trumps?
According to recently-released data by AFP, Marine Le Pen-led National Front might come first in today’s French elections.
As the records show, the National Front is set to obtain 24.2 percent of the votes. François Macron’s La République en Marche attained only 22.4 percent.
8:05pm: Slovak shock
Slovakian right-wing party L’SNS is about to become the third largest party.
According to Dennik, SMER (S&D) is on the brink of collapse, while recently-founded PS/S (ALDE) secured only 20 percent of the votes. The popularity of the L’SNS is on the rise, however.
7:50pm: Voter turnout doubles in Poland
About twice as many showed up to vote in Poland than in the 2014 elections.
Approximately 32.51 percent of the population participated in the 2019 elections, in stark contrast to the 16.91 percent recorded in 2014.
7:40pm: Fidesz statement
The Hungarian people have understood the importance of these EP elections.
"The record-breaking turnout shows that the Hungarian people have understood the importance of these EP elections,” Balázs Hídvéghi said at Fidesz-KDNP’s election event in downtown Budapest.
7:30pm: Fidesz in the lead
Fidesz is leading the elections with a significant majority, states an on-day poll published by Nezopont.
The party is expected to attain 56 percent of the votes, steaming far ahead of the 10 percent attained by MSZP and the 10 percent by DK.
Jobbik-NI is predicted to secure 9 percent, while LMP is set to obtain 3 percent of the votes.
7:15pm: Hungary's turnout at 41.74 percent
Hungary's turnout has been recorded at 41.74 percent, which is a huge leap compared to the 2014 figure of 27.64 percent.
6:35pm: Large turnout across Europe
Hungary wasn’t the only country with an unexpectedly high voter turnout.
Slovakia saw a 20 percent increase in voters since the last elections in 2014, with SMER/S&D expected to win the highest number of seats, three, with 15.7 percent of votes.
France saw a similar spike: about 10 percent more people had their say than in 2014. An approximate 35.07 of the population voted.
Germany is expected to show good results as well: according to the latest statistics taken earlier today, about 29 percent of the population cast their vote, in comparison to the 26 percent measured at the same time in 2014.
6:30pm: Record voter turnout in Hungary
This Sunday’s European Parliamentary elections saw a record-high turnout in Hungary, with about 13 percent more casting a vote than in 2014.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán argued that the people must decide on the future of the European Union in this campaign. And it seems that they did, with an estimated 30 percent of the population headed to the booths.