BRUSSELS - The center-right European People's Party (EPP) is projected to remain the largest party group in the 2024 European Parliament (EP) election, securing 181 seats, according to the EP's first aggregated results estimate on Sunday.

The center-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) follows with 135 seats, while Renew Europe is the third-largest group with 82 seats, the estimated results showed.

The results indicate that left-wing parties have suffered a loss of seats, while far-right groups have made substantial gains.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the dissolution of the National Assembly Sunday evening following the defeat of his party in the 2024 EP election. "This is a serious, weighty decision. But it is above all an act of trust," he said.

The first results were based on estimates from 11 member states of the European Union (EU) and pre-electoral data from 16 other member countries.

The estimated voter turnout in the EP election was 51 percent, higher than the 50.66 percent in the 2019 election, said an EP spokesperson, adding that the number might still change as not all EU member states were yet included.

The 2024 EP election is set to be a pivotal moment for the EU since it will shape the bloc's future policies amid escalating geopolitical tensions and internal economic struggles.

Voters from the 27 member states will elect 720 members to the new EP, the only directly elected body of the EU.