 "EU elections 2024: What the surge of far-right means for Europe")
The recent European Parliament elections marked a significant shift in the political landscape, with far-right parties making substantial gains and unsettling traditional power structures. The elections, which are held every five years, are a critical measure of public sentiment and have long-term implications for EU policies and governance.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s party faced a heavy defeat at the hands of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, prompting Macron to call snap legislative elections.
Macron admitted the defeat, saying, “I’ve heard your message, your concerns, and I won’t leave them unanswered.” Le Pen’s National Rally emerged victorious, securing over 30 per cent of the vote, nearly doubling the support for Macron’s pro-European centrists, who garnered less than 15 per cent. “We’re ready to turn the country around, ready to defend the interests of the French, ready to put an end to mass immigration,” Le Pen declared, reflecting the far-right’s rallying cry across Europe.
A look at the rise of nationalism and euroskepticism
In Germany, Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats plummeted to a projected 14 per cent, trailing behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which surged into second place with 16.5 per cent. AfD leader Alice Weidel expressed her elation: “After all the prophecies of doom, after the barrage of the last few weeks, we are the second strongest force.”
Italy saw Premier Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party achieve the highest percentage of votes, with 28.5 per cent. This marked a significant victory for Meloni , who has been a prominent figure in the far-right movement in Europe.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s nationalist Fidesz party also performed strongly, securing 43 per cent of the vote, although this was a decline from previous elections. Orbán commented on the results, saying, “Right is good. To go right is always good. Go right!” This sentiment was echoed across several countries, with far-right parties resonating with voters on issues such as immigration and national sovereignty.
In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom won six seats, a significant increase from its previous standing. Wilders celebrated the victory, saying, “Still the very biggest winner with five more seats!”
Similarly, in Slovakia, the liberal and pro-Western Progressive Slovakia topped the vote, overcoming the leftist Smer party led by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Spain’s opposition Popular Party (PP) led with 34 per cent of the vote, outperforming Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialists, who received 30 per cent. The far-right Vox party, though undermined by a new extremist party led by a social media influencer, still managed to secure six seats.
In Greece, the ruling New Democracy party maintained a comfortable lead with just under 28 per cent of the vote, despite a decline from its previous performance. Greece also saw the rise of the hard-right populist Greek Solution party, which increased its support to 9.5 per cent.
The centrist opposition ANO movement in the Czech Republic, led by former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, won 26 per cent of the votes, defeating the governing coalition parties.
In Poland, the centrist Civic Coalition, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, won decisively with over 38 per cent of the vote, while the far-right Confederation party garnered nearly 12 per cent. This marked a significant setback for the national conservative Law and Justice party, which ruled Poland from 2015-2023.
The Czech Republic’s Euroskeptic ANO movement, led by former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, triumphed with 26 per cent of the votes, outpacing the center-right Together coalition’s 22 per cent.
In Slovakia, the liberal and pro-Western Progressive Slovakia won 27.8 per cent of the vote, surpassing the leftist Smer party of Prime Minister Robert Fico, which garnered 24.8 per cent.
Also Read: Will Ursula von der Leyen continue as European Commission president?
Cyprus saw the far-right ELAM party clinch one of its six EU Parliament seats for the first time, with 11 per cent of the vote. Meanwhile, a social media influencer, Fidias Panayiotou, secured nearly 20 per cent of the votes, marking a surprising victory solely based on his online presence.
Croatia’s ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union won 33.7 per cent of the vote, with the far-right Homeland Movement gaining one seat with 8.6 per cent.
Bulgaria’s center-right GERB party, led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, emerged victorious with 26 per cent, while the far-right pro-Kremlin Revival party secured three seats.
Implications for the EU
The far-right and euroskeptic parties now control a significant portion of the European Parliament. The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the Identity and Democracy (ID) group will together hold 131 seats. This includes parties such as Hungary’s Fidesz (10 seats) and Poland’s Confederation (6 seats).
If these groups were to unite, they would form the second-largest bloc in the Parliament, exerting considerable influence on EU policies, particularly regarding migration, security, and climate change.
Provisional results show the Christian Democrats with 189 seats, up by 13, while the Social Democrats have 135 seats, down by 4. The pro-business Renew group holds 83 seats, down by 19, and the Greens have 53 seats, down by 18. The far-right’s rise has come largely at the expense of the Greens and pro-business parties, with potential implications for the EU’s progressive climate policies.
Impact on EU policy and governance
The election results underscore a broader trend of increasing support for far-right and nationalist parties across Europe. The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the Identity and Democracy (ID) groups will now control 131 seats in the European Parliament, excluding the additional seats held by parties like Germany’s AfD, Hungary’s Fidesz, Poland’s Confederation, and Bulgaria’s Revival party.
This surge in far-right representation is likely to exert considerable pressure on EU policies, particularly in areas such as migration, security, and climate change. Christian Democratic leader Ursula von der Leyen noted the significance of the results: “We are by far the strongest party. We are the anchor of stability.” However, the gains by far-right parties indicate a potential shift in legislative priorities and a more contentious political environment.
Also Read: How are the polls conducted, who can vote in the EU elections?
The EU elections highlighted a growing discontent with traditional parties and a move towards more radical solutions. With far-right and nationalist parties gaining ground, the future of EU governance and policy-making faces a period of uncertainty and potential transformation.
The coming years will be critical in determining how the EU responds to these internal shifts and the growing influence of the far-right.
With inputs from agencies
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