Headline Roundup • June 10th, 2024
Europe’s Populist Right Makes Big Gains in EU Elections
Elections,European Union,Europe,World,Emmanuel Macron,Viktor Orban,Italy,Germany,Populism,Parliament
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Several of Europe’s right-wing parties gained seats in the Union’s parliamentary elections over the weekend, while the coalition in the center held its ground.
The Details: The “pro-European” coalition between the center-right European People’s Party, the center-left Socialists and Democrats, and the liberal Renew Europe group won 403 seats, maintaining a parliamentary majority. Notable shifts included conservative Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party doubling its seats and French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron’s party losing its majority, leading the Prime Minister to call a snap election.
Other Trends: Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party surged, coming in second in Germany’s elections. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s populist Fidesz party secured a victory but ceded some ground to surging political newcomer Péter Magyar and his Tisza party.
For Context: Concerns about migration and climate policy reforms are believed to be the main drivers of the right-wing surge. European elections could foreshadow American election results, like in 2016, when Republican President Trump’s electoral victory followed the United Kingdom’s “Brexit” from the European Union.
How The Media Covered It: The Associated Press (Lean Left bias) wrote that “Far-right parties rattled the traditional powers… with major gains.” Euronews (Center bias) concluded that the “projected surge in support for far-right parties was not as pronounced as some had expected.” Fox News (Right bias) framed its coverage primarily around conservative gains.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Robert Mondaldo/LaPresse via AP
Far-right parties rattled the traditional powers in the European Union with major gains in parliamentary seats, dealing an especially humiliating defeat to French President Emmanuel Macron, who called snap legislative elections.
Some ballots in the vote for the European Parliament were still being counted Monday, but the outcome showed the 27-nation bloc’s parliament membership has clearly shifted to the right. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni more than doubled her party’s seats in the assembly. And despite being hounded by a scandal involving candidates, the Alternative for Germany extreme right party still rallied enough seats...
Harry Nakos/Copyright 2024 The AP
The pro-European parties at the centre command a majority, despite voters veering to the right. But Ursula von der Leyen's path to re-election is fraught with difficulties.
Around 185 million voters across 27 EU countries have had their say, and right-wing parties have seen support creep up in all corners of the continent, tilting the balance of power in the European Parliament.
But the projected surge in support for far-right parties was not as pronounced as some had expected, meaning that if there is sufficient political will, the pro-European coalition...
AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi
Germany's conservatives finished first in the European Union's elections, as far-right momentum within the bloc has sent France's leadership scrambling.
The conservative alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union garnered 30.2% of the vote Sunday, Politico reported, citing a projection by German public television.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party came in second place, projected to receive 16% of the vote – a 5 percentage point club from the 2019 European Parliament election.
