Social media has been tracking all the twists and turns of the aftermath of the general election.

Here's a look at how people reacted online.

Scotland's First Minister turns her attention to her party's performance. "In Scotland the SNP won this election. We have more seats than all of the other parties combined," says Nicola Sturgeon.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says deputy leader Angus Robertson, who lost a 9,000 majority in his Moray seat to the Conservatives, was a "politician and parliamentarian of immense stature".

"Week after week he held the prime minister to account, providing the scrutiny that the official opposition in the House of Commons failed to do," she says.

Ms Sturgeon describes her "friend and mentor of almost 30 years" - predecessor Alex Salmond who lost his Gordon seat to Conservative Colin Clark - as "without shadow of a doubt the giant of modern Scottish politics".

The SNP were "squeezed" by the return of two-party politics, after 2015's "once-in-a-century result", according to Nicola Sturgeon.

Theresa May, wearing a bright blue suit, was accompanied by her husband Philip as she got into a waiting car. She did not respond to questions from waiting journalists.

BBC News Channel

It is 11 months since Mrs May was asked by the Queen to form a government, reports the BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell.

She is not returning in the circumstances she would have wished for or envisaged, he says.

Mrs May will be alone with the Queen, who will ask her whether she is in a position to command the House of Commons.

We can assume she is able to answer that question in the affirmative, he says.

Image source, Reuters

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has paid tribute to "giant" of politics Nick Clegg, who lost his Sheffield seat last night.

Speaking at the National Liberal Club, he said "history will be kind to Nick, and the new parliament immensely poorer".

He also welcomed the party's new MPs - including some familiar faces.

And Mr Farron pointed out that before last night, the party's eight MPs were all white men - and while the party is not yet "representing the diversity of this great country", they have "made progress".

Prime Minister Theresa May has left Number 10 Downing Street and is now on her way to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen, when she will seek permission to form a new government.

Speaking to the Guardian, former education secretary Nicky Morgan said it was right for the prime minister to stay on and seek to form a government. But she said Mrs May could not fight another election and should take responsibility for the problems with the Conservatives’ campaign.

“I’m reeling. I think we’re all reeling. I think there’s real fury against the campaign and the buck stops at the top," she said.

Image source, PA

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tells a press conference that Theresa May has "lost all authority and credibility".

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron says Theresa May "should be ashamed" and should resign "if she has an ounce of self respect".

Theresa May "put the future of the country at risk with arrogance and vanity", he added.

The country now has a government that is weaker and less stable when we are "about to embark on the most complex negotiations" with the EU.

Those negotiations should now be put on hold, he added.

Katya Adler
Europe Editor

The EU position is that it never wanted the UK to leave but since Brexit is happening, it is ready and waiting.

While the UK struggled internally with political turmoil ever since its referendum, Brussels has had almost 12 months to quietly get its Brexit ducks in a row and ensure a unified and detailed negotiating position on behalf of the 27 member states, the European Commission and the European Parliament.

Theresa May called the general election, she said, hoping for a strong mandate, to improve her hand at the Brexit negotiating table.This plan has backfired horribly.

But Brussels is not rubbing its hands with glee. It wants Brexit done and over with. Yesterday.

The EU has plenty more headaches to deal with: on-going migration and eurozone problems, security concerns about Russia and an unpredictable US president... to name a few.

Brussels doesn’t care what political flavour the new British government has, it just wants a stable UK government, with a secure prime minister at its helm, who will stay in place for the duration of the negotiations and who won’t waver and u-turn after agreements are made.

BBC Monitoring
News from around the globe

If you want to know how today’s Dutch papers are reacting, but don’t speak Dutch, then browse this excellent press review, external on DutchNews.nl. “The result has thrown May’s hard Brexit into the wind,” the news site says.