There was a marked decline in the percentage of the vote won by socialist parties in the 2009 European elections. While governing parties suffered the heaviest losses, the sometimes very heavy losses suffered by those parties in opposition raise the possibility of a general decline of European socialism. The balance of power in the European Parliament has clearly tilted in favor of the right, and in most member states, parties belonging to the EPP grouping defeated those belonging to the PES grouping. However, in eastern and southern European countries, socialist parties did better than elsewhere, thus making it impossible for the time being to confirm a general decline.