Italy, France, Germany, Austria: in a number of EU countries, right-wing and far-right parties made significant gains in the 2024 European elections. But will their increased presence have an impact on the direction of EU policy in Brussels?
Just over half of EU voters cast their ballots in the June European elections, according to the European Parliament. With turnout rates varying between the bloc’s member states, participation in EU-wide elections remains lower than in respective national parliamentary elections.
The European elections came and went – and with them all kinds of emotions across the political spectrum. While the pro-Europeans remain the strongest group in the European Parliament, the far-right gained ground. So much that French President Macron called for snap elections of the National Assembly.
On Monday, the German European Affairs Minister, France’s Deputy Minister for European Affairs and Poland’s Foreign Minister met, declaring they would not tolerate any attempts to interfere in democratic processes. They also raised the idea of an European media platform.
The leader of the liberal group Renew, Valérie Hayer, is ready to continue the current coalition with the People’s Party and the S&D. However, a coalition with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) is out of the question, she told the European Newsroom.