European Elections: How the votes were cast

OUTCOME OF the voting in the other 12 European Union member states, including some provisional results.

Austria Governing Social Democrats came top, winning 31 per cent of the vote and a seventh seat. The conservative Austrian People's Party kept its seven seats. Green actress Mercedes Echerer won her party's second seat.

Belgium Overshadowed by the "Chickengate" scandal and defeat of the government, the vote saw big gains for the Greens with five seats. The Socialists won five seats and the Christian Democrats six. The far-right Vlaams Blok collected two seats.

Denmark The opposition Liberal Party emerged winners with five seats. Anti-EU parties gained one seat, taking their strength to six. The far- right Danish People's Party won its first seat with 5 per cent.

Finland The governing Social Democrats lost one seat, while their main coalition partner, the Conservatives, retained their four seats. The Green Party increased its seats by one to two and the Christian League won its first seat.

Greece The Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) was relegated to second place polling 33 per cent, beaten by conservative New Democracy with 36 per cent. The Communist Party won 8.7 per cent and the socialist splinter party, Dikki, picked up 7 per cent.

Ireland Dana, the former Eurovision song contest winner, won a seat in Connacht-Ulster standing as an independent. Fianna Fail held six of its seven seats; Fine Gael was unchanged with four; Greens retained their two.

Italy Outgoing EU commissioner Emma Bonino was the undisputed star of the Italian vote where her Bonino list took 8.5 per cent; Forza Italia emerged as the leading party with 25 per cent of the votes.

Luxembourg One of the six seats was won for the socialists by Jacques Santer, disgraced former president of the European Commission.

Netherlands Christian Democrats won 27 per cent, giving them nine seats, one fewer than in the outgoing parliament, while Labour lost two seats. The Groenlinks environmentalist party leapt to 12 per cent, winning three extra seats.

Portugal The ruling Socialists (PS), headed by Mario Soares, former president, took 43 per cent of the vote and 12 of the 25 seats. Social Democrats (PSD) scored 31 per cent and took eight seats. The small Eurosceptic Popular Party (PP) won two seats and the joint Communist-Green list also took two seats

Spain The conservative Popular Party headed the poll with 40 per cent giving them 27 seats, followed by the main opposition Socialists who won 24 seats. Communists took four seats.

Sweden Pro-Euro Liberals took 13 per cent and increased their seats from one to three. The anti-Euro Left Party garnered 16 per cent, compared with 13 per cent in 1995. The governing Social Democrats saw support fall to 26 per cent.