Caracas, December 7 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Venezuela's right-wing has won a majority in the country's National Assembly during parliamentary elections on Sunday.

The right-wing coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), won 99 seats in yesterday's legislative elections, giving them a majority for now, with the total number of seats still undecided.

The ruling socialist coalition, the Great Patriotic Pole (GPP), held 46 seats, according to figures released by Venezuela's electoral authority, the CNE.  Nineteen regular and three Indigenous seats are yet to be announced.  

The opposition, however, had anticipated its victory before the results –- an act that is illegal in Venezuela -- and had already begun celebrating.

The outcome represents the first time in over 15 years the right wing has won a majority in a legislative vote.

Tibisay Lucena, head of the CNE, said: “We totally believe in the people.  Today has been a big demonstration of peace.  We congratulate the people of Venezuela for this day where Venezuelans made their decision on their representatives to the National Assembly." 

According to Lucena, 96.03 percent of the vote had been counted, making the results “irreversible.”  While announcing the election results, Lucena thanked CNE officials and electoral observers for their work, describing the day's vote as “transparent and clean.”

The participation rate was 74 percent.  Comparably, the last legislative elections in 2010 saw a turnout of 66.45 percent.

Voting was peaceful nationwide, with no reports of disturbances at electoral stations.  Just under 100,000 officials presided over polling stations nationwide, including 130 international electoral monitors.  As many as 19 million registered voters were eligible to cast ballots in the election. 

The GPP and its largest party the PSUV vowed to continue its progressive social and economic policies if it maintained a majority in the assembly.  The right-wing opposition had said it would seek to oust President Nicolas Maduro if it won. 

Ahead of the elections, Maduro warned there was a concerted and orchestrated campaign to delegitimize the elections, while the opposition coalition had refused to commit to recognizing the results, leading to speculation that they may have planned to cry fraud if they failed to secure a majority.
    
The opposition has repeatedly accused the government of fraud in past elections, but has failed to make public any evidence of misconduct.