European Union Election results: 10 key developments you need to know

1. This was the first time that a eurosceptic party like the Brexit Party won control of a quarter (29 out of 73) of seats in European elections by winning 31.71% of the votes. The pro-EU Liberal Democrats occupied the second position with 20% of the votes and 16 seats, up from only one at the last EU election in 201, while Labour came third with 10 seats, followed by the pro-European, environmentalist Greens with seven.

2. Green parties in Germany, France, Britain and elsewhere celebrated big gains in the elections for the 751-seat parliament amid growing voter concerns over climate change, expressed in large-scale student protests over recent months. The rise of the Greens, with their distinctly pro-European Union stance, marks a counterpoint to that of the far-right, anti-migrant parties that have been growing in popularity across Europe in recent years.

3. Although having a somewhat similar stand regarding the Brexit, UK’s governing Conservative Party was wiped out, as pro-Brexit and pro-EU voters both punished it for leading the country into a political impasse and failing to lead it out of the EU.

4 Contenders for the leadership of Conservatives, the ruling party in Britain, said the results were a demand to deliver Brexit no matter what. Theresa May, who is stepping down as Conservative leader in June, said the night in which the results were out had been “very disappointing”.

5. Since the result bolsters those who want Britain to leave the EU with no agreement on departure terms and future relations, economists say that would cause economic turmoil and plunge Britain into recession.

6. The opposition Labour Party said a public vote — a new national election or a second referendum — was the way to reunite the country. It pledged to make sure a new Conservative leader would not take Britain out of the EU without a transition deal to help protect the economy.

7. Although Labour and the Conservatives, each of whom wanted to seek a compromise Brexit in different ways, were hammered, the election has left Britain’s EU exit more uncertain, with both Brexiteers and pro-EU “remainers” able to claim strong support.

8. However, Farage, founder of the Brexit Party, said Britain should get set to leave the European Union without a divorce deal after the election saw his eurosceptic party and pro-EU forces carve up the UK’s votes at the expense of the long-dominant larger parties.

9. Between May 23 and May 26, citizens from 28 member countries of European had the opportunity to vote for who will represent them in the European Parliament over the next five years.

10. The biggest challenge for these elections is communicating to voters what the parliament and its members actually do, Simon Usherwood, deputy director of the research initiative, UK in a Changing Europe told CNN.

(With inputs from Agencies)