From the UK's Ann Widdecombe to Italy's Silvio Berlusconi, the European Parliamentary elections weren't short of colourful characters. Here's our pick of the most eye-catching MEPs.
ADVERTISEMENTFrom the UK's Ann Widdecombe to Italy's Silvio Berlusconi, the European Parliamentary elections weren't short of colourful characters.
Here's our pick of the most eye-catching MEPs:
Germany — Die Partei
Putting candidates with the same surnames as prominent Nazi figures on the ballot for German voters, the left-wing satirical party Die Partei (The Party) has doubled its number of MEPs in the Parliament.
Head of the party and editor in chief of a satirical magazine "Titanic", Martin Sonneborn, was already an MEP and kept his seat — the party also saw Nico Semsrott, a comedian, elected.
Die Partei, which campaigned hard against the AfD, also put forward candidates because of their surnames, including Lisa Bombe (bomb), as well as people with the last names Krieg (war), Hess, Goebbels, Speer and Eichmann.
Bombe who advocated a "cat-content-quota" on the internet, narrowly missed getting a seat.
"My commitment guarantees that no cat photo will get stuck in the upload filter," she said prior to the elections.
READ MORE: German satire party's Nazi name stunt puts Goebbels on ballot paper
UK — Ann Widdecombe, Brexit Party
Ann Widdecombe has caused a stir in the UK by securing a seat for the South West as an MEP for the Brexit Party.
After retiring from politics, Widdecombe appeared on UK reality TV show Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, when many thought her political career was over.
She also appeared in several pantomime theatre productions — a British tradition over the Christmas period — starring as the Wicked Queen and the Empress of China.
Widdecombe returned to the political frontline with former UKIP leader Nigel Farage's six-week-old party Brexit party, which won 36.7% of the vote in the region, getting three seats.
The former Conservative MP said: "It's very clear... there was only ever one reason for voting for the Brexit Party - and that is what the nation has done, big time."
Social media users shared their surprise at the appointment on Twitter.
Italy — Silvio Berlusconi
Italy's comeback kid Silvio Berlusconi is to return as an MEP over five years after he was ousted from the Italian parliament.
The 82-year-old former prime minister is renowned for controversy including sex parties and being convicted of tax fraud.
Berlusconi went back on the campaign trail after an Italian court last year lifted a ban on him holding public office for good behaviour.
Greece — Solution party, Kyriakos Velopoulos
The Far-right Greek Solution is set to enter the EU parliament, with its president and founder, Kyriakos Velopoulos, a well-known TV persona who is mostly known for appearances on shopping shows.
ADVERTISEMENTHe opposed the Prespa Agreement, a treaty solving the Greece and North Macedonia dispute over the latter's name, and allegedly has ties with Putin.
And those who didn't quite make it...
Hungary — Two-Tailed Dog party
While it fell short of winning any seats, the Two-Tailed Dog party certainly brought some of the most creative pledges to the table.
Mandatory siestas in every EU country, forbidding work between midday and 3 pm and making bank holidays from all EU countries compulsory across the bloc all featured on its manifesto.
READ MORE: On the road with Hungary's Two-tailed Dog Party
France — reality TV stars
Cindy Lopes and Kevin Miranda both found fame by appearing on French reality TV shows, but didn't succeed in their bids to become MEPs.
ADVERTISEMENTThe former, who was on "Secret Story", stood with Alliance Jaune — a list affiliated with the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) movement.