7–10 June 1979 · The Community years · 410 seats, 206 for a majority · 9 member states
The first direct election to any transnational assembly in history: 110 million voters in nine countries chose 410 MEPs, replacing the appointed delegates who had sat since 1958. The Socialists formed the largest group, but the chamber elected the liberal Simone Veil, Auschwitz survivor and French health minister, as its first president.
Before the election
—
First direct election
After · President of the European Parliament
Simone Veil
LD
Largest group
SOC
113 of 410 seats
Turnout
62.0%
across 9 member states
The Parliament it elected
SOC
Socialist Group · 26.6%
113
MEPs
EPP
European People's Party (Christian Democrats) · 28.3%
107
MEPs
ED
European Democrats (Conservatives) · 6.2%
64
MEPs
COM
Communists and Allies · 13.4%
44
MEPs
LD
Liberal and Democratic Group · 10.4%
40
MEPs
EPD
European Progressive Democrats · 3.7%
22
MEPs
CDI
Technical Co-ordination Group
11
MEPs
NI
Non-Inscrits
9
MEPs
Share of chamber
SOC
Socialist Group
Ernest Glinne
113
26.6%29,530,418 votes
EPP
European People's Party (Christian Democrats)
Egon Klepsch
107
28.3%31,355,631 votes
ED
European Democrats (Conservatives)
James Scott-Hopkins
64
6.2%6,878,970 votes
COM
Communists and Allies
Giorgio Amendola
44
13.4%14,908,281 votes
LD
Liberal and Democratic Group
Martin Bangemann
40
10.4%11,520,616 votes
EPD
European Progressive Democrats
Christian de La Malène
22
3.7%4,114,969 votes
CDI
Technical Co-ordination Group
—
11
—
NI
Non-Inscrits
—
9
—
Group composition at or immediately after the Parliament's constitutive session; groups form and dissolve between elections, so totals elsewhere may differ. Vote shares are EU-wide shares for the parties that formed each group, where the source reports them.
The result by member state
How each of the 9 member states' MEPs divided among the political groups.