The European Union’s parliamentary elections resulted in major victories for right-wing parties in what could be a growing trend across the continent.
The National Rally party in France stood with over 30% of the vote as of 7:45 p.m. on Sunday, more than double French President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party. National Rally is led by Marine Le Pen, who ran against Macron to be president in 2017 and 2022, as well as lead candidate Jordan Bardella. The right-wing party’s principles include “putting an end to settlement immigration” and allowing companies to increase wages by 10%.
Macron responded to the rout by dissolving his country’s National Assembly and announcing a snap legislative election to be held within the next 30 days. This is the first time a French president has used this power since 1997.
Germany’s day at the polls also pointed to a trajectory away from the traditional governing parties. The right-wing Alternative for Germany likely earned second place with nearly a fifth of the vote. Their policies lean conservative in their condemnation of abortion and multiculturalism. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party earned its worst result ever, per Reuters.
Spain’s conservative People’s Party also made gains, nabbing over a third of the votes in its election. Italy’s Brothers of Italy party, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, also appears to be the country’s biggest winner in Sunday’s election, in another win for the right wing of the country.
So bad were the left-leaning blocs in the EU’s elections that Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced his resignation to take effect on Monday. De Croo’s Flemish Liberals and Democrats party secured less than 6% of the vote. The EU is based in Brussels, Belgium.
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Sunday’s results will serve to reshape the European Parliament but also have highlighted the rise of right-wing support across the continent.
Turnout in the elections appears to be near 51%, which would be a 30-year high.
