‘We need to show Europe works’
In the massive, four-day democratic exercise, voters punished incumbents almost everywhere, with some, particularly in Britain, turning to fringe parties hostile to deeper European integration. Others didn't even bother to go to the polls.
"We need to show that Europe works," said Foreign Minister Brian Cowen.
He called the results a "wake up call" for governments.
Turnout for the historic vote the first since the EU took in 10 new members in May hit a record low of 45.3%.
In the older EU countries, turnout was 49%, down only slightly from the 49.8% in 1999. But the average was dragged down mainly by newcomers from the former Soviet bloc, where turnout was 26.4%.
European Parliament spokesman David Harley called it "a disappointing and, indeed, pathetically low turnout."
In Luxembourg, where EU foreign ministers were renewing efforts to clinch a deal on a controversial constitutional treaty, the mood was also one of disappointment but resolve to press ahead.
"One clear message is that voters across Europe ... want the European Union to work better in their interests," Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said going into the meeting. "That is the purpose of the draft constitutional treaty that deals with our concerns and those of other countries."
Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot said his country, which takes over the EU's rotating presidency from Ireland next month, would focus on finding ways to make Europeans feel more connected to the 25-nation bloc, which is often viewed as a distant, wasteful bureaucracy.
"It is of the utmost importance," Bot said. "If you have no popular support you cannot carry out decisions properly."
The elections prove it is "all the more necessary to 'sell' Europe better," he said, blaming political parties for campaigning on national rather than European policies like the constitution.
The text, which leaders hope to finalise at their summit this week, is intended to improve the functioning of the enlarged EU and extend its purview into new areas.
Already more than half of national legislation originates at EU-level in fields ranging from consumer protection to farm subsidies to maritime safety.
Reijo Kemppinen, chief spokesman at the European Commission, called on governments to put "resources and enthusiasm" into educating voters.
"If someone doesn't know at all what the European Parliament is supposed to be doing, where would the interest to vote be?"
Parties that want to limit or roll back EU powers increased their presence in the new parliament, including a dramatic 12 seats for Britain's UK Independence Party up from three in the last elections in 1999.
Euro-sceptics also picked up seats in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and elsewhere, but political leaders noted they remain a fringe group in the 732-seat assembly.
"It's important not to overstate any surge of support for euroscepticism,", said Graham Watson, leader of the Liberal Democrat grouping.
"Anyway, you can only hold the balance if you turn up," he said, adding that Euro-sceptics tend to be the "abstainers and absentees."
Overall, centre-right parties remained the biggest bloc, with the European People's Party taking 276 seats.
In many countries, voters used the election as a report card for their national governments.
Among those who fared poorly were the ruling parties in Germany and France, where voters protested rising unemployment, sluggish economies and painful reforms to trim budget deficits.
