The 2024 elections across Europe have become a pivotal moment, showcasing a significant rise in far-right candidates from France in the west to Croatia in the east. Voters across the continent are increasingly favoring lawmakers on the right of the political spectrum, reshaping the European political landscape.
June's European Parliament elections saw an impressive turnout, with around 182 million people casting their votes—the highest percentage in 30 years. The centerpiece of the results was the center-right European People’s Party (EPP), which secured 188 of the 720 seats, reaffirming its influence within the bloc.
The EPP’s victory played a crucial role in the reappointment of Ursula von der Leyen as Commission President. Von der Leyen emphasized the importance of economic strength, security, innovation, and adapting the social model to demographic changes, highlighting the priorities of the current administration.
However, the election also marked a notable strengthening of far-right groups, who garnered roughly 20 percent of the vote. These parties have successfully tapped into voters' concerns over security and the cost of living, positioning climate issues as a lower priority.
Manon Dufour, Executive Director at the Brussels-based think tank Third Generation Environmentalism, noted, \"The top issues they had in mind according to the polls were security, for good reason, and cost of living. They still cared a lot about climate but this featured more as a kind of fourth or fifth priority for them across Europe.\"
The repercussions of June's elections are set to influence both the European Union's major institutions in Brussels and domestic politics across member states for the next five years.
Far-Right Gains Ground in Several Countries
In France, the right-wing National Rally won approximately 30 percent of the vote in the European elections. In response, President Emmanuel Macron called for a snap national election, hoping to gain clarity. Instead, the country ended up with a hung parliament, evenly split among centrists, left-wingers, and right-wingers. This political fragmentation led to swift changes in leadership, with Francois Bayrou becoming France's fourth Prime Minister this year.
The far-right's influence extended beyond France, with significant gains in Portugal, Greece, Bulgaria, and Croatia. Notably, in Germany, a far-right group won a state election for the first time since World War II, signaling a broader shift towards right-wing politics across Europe.
As Europe navigates this political transformation, the balance of power within the European Parliament and national governments will continue to evolve, reflecting the changing priorities and concerns of voters across the continent.
Reference(s):
How the right wing grabbed center stage in Europe's 2024 elections
cgtn.com
