In a surprising turn of events, left-wing parties made significant gains in the Nordic countries of Finland and Denmark as the EU election results rolled in.

Li Andersson, the leader of Finland's Left Alliance, became the top vote-getter with her party gaining two additional seats.

In Denmark, the Socialist People's Party emerged as the largest party, reflecting a green shift in voter preferences.

Experts suggest this leftward trend is a reaction against right-wing politics and austerity measures.

With over 90% of the votes counted, these results challenge the traditionally dominant right-wing parties in the region.