EXPLAINER
The centre right held ground, but a surge for the far right could impact policymaking in Brussels.
It was a good weekend for the far right across the European Union, and a nightmare for liberals and greens, as residents in 27 countries went to the polls to elect the bloc’s new parliament.
The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stood its ground, remaining the strongest group in the European Parliament. “We will stop them — this is for sure,” von der Leyen told her supporters, triumphant in her tone.
But a growing far-right presence at the heart of Europe is expected to shake up policies in Brussels. As von der Leyen aims for a second term as European Commission president, she will have to deal with a parliament less environmentally friendly, more fragmented and increasingly unwelcoming towards migrants, observers say.
Here’s how the EU voted — and the key winners and losers.
Winners
Zero-sum game
Losers
Such gains and setbacks point to a strong shift in the political atmosphere in Europe compared to the previous round of votes in 2019, according to analysts.
“The wars in Ukraine and in Gaza, along with an ongoing economic crisis across the bloc – all of that contributes to a much more anxious climate, which also makes voters look for more security,” said Vessela Tcherneva, the European Council on Foreign Relations’ deputy director. “And the far right is promising them more security.”
But, Tcherneva noted, EU elections are also referendums on national leaders.
Let’s unpack:
Despite their overall gains, far-right parties are divided among themselves. For instance, the ID kicked out the German AfD in May after comments from a leader of the party indicating sympathy with the Nazis.
“Cooperating in the name of a superior objective is not really their beloved exercise,” said Olaf Bohnke, Berlin director of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, a non-profit organisation, speaking of far-right parties.
Still, said Bohnke, these far-right groups could slow down or block EU policies – especially those related to climate change, migration and foreign policy, including aid to Ukraine.
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