Are you counting the UK as European? Because British prime ministers do this all the time. They get 55% of the house of commons on 40% of the vote and 25% of the electorate, and then proclaim "the people have spoken!".
Hm, never noticed that but I'll pay more attention. And yes, that is cringeworthy too.
The people have only spoken if a > 50% portion of those eligible to vote actually vote and all of them agree.
In that case you might make such a statement, and even then that leaves room for 49% (a) not to vote and (b) to disagree and whoever would make such a proclamation would have to qualify their statement to that effect. But it is of course so much easier to claim a mandate.
