>> hello. editionto this special of the journal on a very big night. europe votes and ukraine vote. here's what is coming up. have beenoss europe out on the final day of the eu elections. we will have the latest results and analysis. ukraine's presidential election exit polls indicating that petro poroshenko is on track to win by a landslide. mpope continues his

ideast tour. >> people across the european union have been inducting a new parliament, but it is increasingly looking like a night dominated by parties that want out of the european union. voting is underway in thursday -- since thursday. . seeing some very big gains for the eurosceptics in france, in germany, and in britain. we will breed bringing you all the results as we get them and tossing over to major capitals across europe. navigatelp us throughout the night we will also be joined here in the studio by our veteran brussels correspondent. as we mentioned, this night has been characterized by a sweep by the eurosceptics and far right parties. you followed a lot to european union elections, did the

politicians and fossils -- in brussels see this voter rebellion coming? to tell you what, what they did not see is that it is one thing to have increased in numbers of the eurosceptics from countries known to the skeptic, but what is much more symbolic and significant is the fact that germany, the biggest members date and the founding member state has suddenly returned all of these relatively small on the eurosceptics side. that is more symbolic significance. statese flagship member even has a moderate showing of eurosceptics by name, it shows you something about the state of

feeling about europe more so than if more u.k. members are added to the tally. >> we will check in with those germans numbers right now. you're mentioning the afb. how did germans vote in this european election? they are looking very interesting. this is as it stands at the moment. the conservatives are at 35.5%, that is down 2.4 percentage points. 6.7democrats are up percentage points. -- 6.4 percentage points.

other parties have 8.8%. of movement in those figures from the last election. it looks very clear that angela merkel's democrats have lost ground. we have reactions now. >> it was not exactly a ringing endorsement, the chancellors party essentially treaded water, losing he support. are defending our position as the strongest party. we are number one. the push -- the democrats are putting a different been on the result. on thed will not put pressure to make sure eu commission president -- to make

chulz eu commission president. in the parliamentary elections, they barely missed the five percent hurdle. now it has garnered enough support to claim seats in the european parliament. afd has grown into a new party for the germans people. a freedom loving party. a socially conscious party. a party founded on values. [applause] success story for eurosceptics who seemed to be firmly established on germany's political stage. as we promised them a we will

be crossing to major european capitals this evening. let check in with the spanish capital of madrid and our correspondent there. first off, what can you tell us about the vote in spain? no figures out already, but what we know is about the turnout, it is quite similar to the last elections in 2009. if we take the forecasts done before these elections, we can see that there will be a loss within the two big parties. the socialists and the conservatives, and the smaller parties that have come up with in the last month or years will gain strength. but it will not change the political landscape here in spain at all because the big parties will still have

majority. >> what about spades painful pain'sic crisis -- s painful economic crisis? >> that explains the loss of resented jews and voters for the big parties, that is expected today. the conservatives in the government have to respond to the measures taken in the last three years. the socialists may also lose voters because they did before. people are quite fed up with all of their cuts that they have seen in the past few years. from madrid with those results. thank you so much. we go back to germany and the

success of that eurosceptics party we have been talking about. our roving political correspondent managed to speak to the chairman. is a parliamentarian who struck out on his own and built up the afd from scratch. >> with me is the leader of the afd party. ofr party is the epitome eurosceptics. this will learn you less than a dozen seats, what difference are you going to make? us about al give sexy in the european parliament, it does make a big difference because for the first time -- seats in the european parliament, and it does make a big difference because we have some skepticism toward the

common currency. it is very important for the elect are it in germany -- elect germany that will review critically the policies that have been implemented in the past and which will stimulate new political discussion in a political atmosphere rated by the other parties that have tried to eliminate this critical discussion altogether by saying there is no alternative. >> you just said it is necessary to correct europe. for that,eed allies to make a difference. well really look -- where will you look? >> we will look in the political spectrum that is filled with moderate political parties. we will probably first talk to the european conservatives and representatives, but i am quite optimistic that we will agree on most issues which are relative and to us -- relevant to us.

i think we will join the parliamentarian group, and i'm looking forward to cooperation. one more question, is this election more important to you as t the european level or the german states elections? >> the election is important for us because as you may know we have a five percent hurdle for the germ and parliament, and we barely missed this hurdle in the september elections. now we are well above five percent. that is an important political signal to the germans public that we are there is a serious party, and a party which has enough support in the electorate to compete with other parties. therefore it is also important to compete with those who are , in the september

elections. >> thank you very much. >> new numbers coming in for germany. simon joins us from the brandenburg gate. we just heard a look there. what does this mean for germany? d is saying today is the day they have arrived as a mainstream political force. they haven't gone very well, they have surged today, and -- and they have done very well, they have surged today, and they have what pressure on government thinking. work on persuading angela merkel to pull out of the euro, but there may be some ofhasis of their agenda

decentralization in europe. that could come up the longer turn. we have to think what -- we have to wait and see if the afd sticks around as a political force. >> what kind of setback is this for the coalition? >> i think in terms of the overall relative support of the in angelapartners merkel's government there is not a lot of change. a conservatives have seen a drop in their support, but that is a sort of thing you'd typically expect of an incumbent government party in this case. the social democrats have seen a good result today, they have seen a surge in their support. i think you're getting a reward for pushing some of their social policies even against the conservative coalition partners. bavarian conservatives have

done very badly, and they are being punished by their voters for some extent. that perhaps strengthens angela merkel's negotiating position within her conservative party. overall he would say they coalition has stabilized by today's election results. >> thank you. , we joinin to paris you from the french capital. looks like france's far right front is posting a huge win today. they got six percent in the elections in 2009, and they now 25% which is a huge victory for them. up with aboutng 20% of the vote, and the socialist are around 14%.

she certainly can feel that she has a strong victory today, but what remains to be seen is how many seats will be given in parliament. tother le pen will be able work with the good that she wanted to, and run for the vice president. more inward looking than people expected. >> this is and a european election, but what about president francois hollande? >> this has been a very big blow for him and for his party. something he will have to take said just and le pen after the election result became

know that the french public, that now is the time for them to pull together. place, that will take sufferingollande has a lot of defeats, and this is a big one today. >> thank you. let's turn to our brussels correspondent in the studio. the gains foreen marine le pen -- marie le pen. will these eurosceptics parties be able to coalesce and had any power in brussels? >> you might have one or two, with thee made up british eurosceptic, but there is no way that they will work

with le pen because they see each other as tarnished. not only do you get more finance alongside these countries, lots of money which helps you campaign in the way for or against europe and begin speaking time on the floor, and you can, if you get a big group be a vice president of the commission. that gives you serious clout. this gives you present on the european parliamentarian stage. tradition would say that these are protest votes and this is a low turnout. in france it has been a high turnout and yet we have marie le pen the winner. >> you just mentioned what these

parties need to do to get power in brussels, but what about the district in the political process -- what about them disrupting the political process? could they be erected in the works? the works?t in >> they can make a lot of noise, they can make light of hold on the floor of the house, connected policy -- can they change policy? not necessarily. they need to get their act together to not just be seen as a group of complainers. we have heard from the social

>> we're going to go to the exit polls for ukraine. poroshenko claimed the presidency just a few minutes ago. he said they would never recognize russia's annexation of crimea. they also said their first action would be to end the war and big priest to regret -- and bring peace to ukraine. in kied kenny logan,

ev, about the new president. >> the exit polls are very convincing exit polls. his victory does seem assured although we have to wait for the final results. he has given his victory speech in which he thanked the people came out inho overwhelming numbers. we have seen huge crowds today in kiev. embraced have really this election really seen as a positive sign for their future and the conclusion for the revolution here in the square. he said that his first visit will be to the east of the country, and he says he is open to dialogue with anyone who does not carry arms. he says he would like to talk to russia at some stage. once he is sworn in he has his work cut out ahead of him to try to reform the crisis in this country.

second run, and if kiev does have a more solid central government that might help the country's problems. >> relations with moscow are going to be at the top of his buildingut that is not no bridges to say they do not recognize the annexation of crimea. >> there is rather a big bridge to build, but he did emphasize that russia is a neighboring country, and he did say that he would reach out to russia. also mentioned that he does believe that russia is behind instigating a lot of the struggle in the east. i do think there is a long negotiating path to follow their. it does send a signal to moscow that the ukrainian people have voted for the government, and mr. vladimir putin did say he would accept the results of the

election. business mainly duty military action increasing and east of we country -- does this mean could see military action increasing in the east of the country? >> they have done everything they possibly can to disrupt the election, they have used violence, intimidation, threats and physical force at polling stations to close down. we will see what they say about this result, but mr. poroshenko said he would visit there and ine members of the public dialogue with them as long as they are not armed. he is offering amnesty as long as they are not armed. we do not know how they will react to this result, if they will fight it or accept it. logan. was kitty frances is still visiting

the holy land. francis invited the two leaders on a two of his trip to the middle east where he arrived in jerusalem for the latest age of his visit. >> it was a historic meeting, pope francis showing an ecumenical mass with patriarch are folio, the head of the orthodox church. the last time the leaders of the two churches met was 50 years ago. before that the ref had lasted 900 years. had lasted 900 years. pope francis is on a bridge building mission. on sunday afternoon the pontiff arrived in tel aviv, he met with the israeli premisime

minister and president. he reiterated his call for peace. the right of the palestinian people to a sovereign homeland, and the right to live with a nifty and with freedom of movement. -- with a nifty and freedom of movement. we need to make this a reality and not a dream. asked the president to join him at the vatican ain june. he said they could pray together for lasting peace in the re gion. >> president obama has made an unannounced visit to the biggest base in afghanistan. he said he will pull his forces out by the end of the year. the president faces criticism at

home, growing, and sharp, over his foreign-policy. >> the eu elections and some initial results are coming in. we are getting some turnout results, what can you tell less? -- tell us? acrossr turnout differs the eu, but we have had some surprising figures. turnout has been higher in big countries like germany and france, and in germany for example we are at 48% which means it is higher than both in 2009 and in 2004. there are countries where only one in five people actually cast their ballot. it differs very much from country to country. i think the analysis will take a long time. is it because it'll are pro-europe, is it because they have used their vote to actually send a signal of protest?

that will be discussed this evening. two frontout the contenders for the office of residence of the commission -- president of the commission? is lookingoment it like the conservatives are going to be the strongest bloc here in the parliament again, which means that martin schulz had , anda challenging word says he still wants to get the support of other political groups in the european parliament. he says the social democrats have made big gains in germany. a deserved to be the next commission president. the other candidate has says we europeanspect democracy. us,ere in the studio with

our veteran correspondent for brussels. what lies ahead? when the newly stamped eu parliamentarians take their seats in july, what is going to happen? >> i said the trouble would start in a couple days, it is already started when the martin schulz says i have a moral imperative. they will have to discuss the follow from this election and whether they are able to counter. before the propose end of june, a commission president. the european parliament must endorse that choice, and that is here the bloodletting will be. summer but when the

president is elected, he must his elects, but i think it will go on beyond that. >> let's recap our top story results before we go. eurosceptics across the continent gaining most prominently in france, where the fire right national front captured 25% of the vote. is all we have time for. thank you for joining us.

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