The vote -- which is non-binding and does not reflect the stance of EU countries -- came after centre-right lawmakers teamed up with a new far-right grouping in a move decried by the left.

Gonzalez Urrutia, who has fled to Spain, has claimed he was the winner of the July presidential election that gave Maduro a third six-year term.

The United States has recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner of the election.

So far, however, Spain and other European Union nations have limited themselves to refusing to accept Maduro as the victor and calling on the Venezuelan government to release the voting tally sheets.

"The EU should do its utmost to ensure that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the legitimate and democratically elected President of Venezuela, can take office on 10 January 2025," the European Parliament said.

The lawmakers -- who passed the resolution by 309 votes for to 201 against -- also urged the 27-nation bloc to impose sanctions on "Maduro and his inner circle".

Gonzalez Urrutia, 75, thanked the European Parliament for the vote, calling it "the recognition of the sovereign will of the people of Venezuela".

"My message to Venezuelans is this: The international community continues to increase its support," he said in a message posted on X.

The resolution, however, sparked controversy among leftist politicians in the European Parliament after the main centre-right bloc drew it up together with a new far-right grouping.

The Patriots for Europe, which includes far-right parties including France's National Rally and Spain's Vox, was formed after EU-wide elections in June.

Leftist politicians slammed the willingness of the centre-right European People's Party to renege on pledges not to work with the far right.

"This deeply worrying act shows the conservatives' total lack of scruples or any reluctance to ally themselves with political forces contrary to the fundamental values of democratic Europe," said French MEP Raphael Glucksmann.

"We denounce it with the greatest firmness."