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Eurosceptics May Make Significant Gains in European Parl't Elections - Reports

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - Matteo Salvini's eurosceptic European Alliance of People and Nations (EAPN) may gain more seats in the European Parliament than it did in 2014, while the current top two factions, the European People's Party (EPP) and Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), may face the opposite, Politico reported on Friday.
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According to the European edition of Politico portal's projection, the EAPN may get 72 seats in the upcoming EU elections, 35 seats more seats than it won in 2014. If the projection proves correct, the EAPN will become the fourth largest group in the new parliament after the European Conservatives and Reformists, which is projected to win 61 seats, nine less than it got five years ago.

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At the same time, the EPP, which won 221 mandates in the 2014 election, and S&D, which got 191, may get only 170 and 146 seats this year, respectively.

Euroskeptics currently control 256 of the 751 seats in the European Parliament, Politico's analysts said.

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Another faction that may experience a rise in popularity is the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, which may jump from 67 to 104 seats after next week's vote.

In April, a forecast prepared by the European Parliament based on the analysis of political preferences of citizens in EU member states showed that eurosceptics could increase their representation in the legislative body after the elections but also that the European People's Party would remain the largest faction.

From 23-26 May, the European Union will hold elections to its primary legislative body. The new composition of the European Commission and its head will be determined based on the results of the vote.

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