We are happy about the great success of Bloco de Esquerda (Portugal, 3 MEPs), Front de Gauche (France, 5 MEPs), AKEL (Cyprus, 2 MEPs) and Die Linke (Germany, 8 MEPs), which shows that the Left is a relevant force in Europe. Together with the elected candidates from the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (Czech Republic, 4 MEPs), Synaspismos/SYRIZA (Greece, 1 MEP) and IU-IPV-EUiA (Spain, 2 MEPs) they will join the GUE/NGL and strive for a strong group in the next European Parliament.
Lothar Bisky, chairman of the European Left, underlines the successful cooperation and solidarity of all the European Left parties during the last 12 months for the common EL campaign. "The common electoral platform was just the beginning. We will now continue to fight for our main goals, especially for higher social standards, more democracy and disarmament," states Lothar Bisky in the election night.

However, the results of the left parties in the European elections are not a success. The new GUE/NGL group will count up to seven members less than in 2004-2009, remarks Lothar Bisky. It shows the necessity to go on the way of a closed cooperation of the Left in order to overcome its fragmentation, he adds.
 
The bitter defeat of the Left in Italy goes along with an alarming increase in power of the extreme right. Like in Austria, Hungary and the Netherlands, far-right and anti-immigration parties have gathered the votes of many EU citizens, determining a clear shift of Europe to the right. More than ever, we must take consistent action against racism, xenophobia, fascism, ultra-nationalism and protect and promote the rights of those who are discriminated.
The European Left will stand together in support of a powerful parliamentary group in order to be able to change EU policies for a social, democratic, and peaceful Europe in solidarity.