Even as hard-right parties made major gains in Europe’s core, the Greens suffered setbacks in the latest sign that a green backlash may be underway.
In European Parliament elections Sunday night, the French far right clobbered the ruling centrist coalition, so much so that French President Emmanuel Macron called for snap legislative elections. He seems to be betting that voters were angry at him and not truly enamored with Marine Le Pen’s brand of nationalist, anti-immigration politics. It’s a bet he may lose.
The results underscored the extraordinary transformation of the European far-right from groups once dismissed as skinheads and neo-Nazis to politically palatable figures who have connected with more and more voters.Pro-European parties are still projected to win a majority of seats in the European Parliament, but hard-right parties performed well, claiming the largest share of seats in both France and Italy and placing second in Germany, tilting the E.U.'s center of gravity rightward.
Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group consultancy, said Macron is trying to get ahead of the challenge by pushing “a stark choice” on the country: the status quo or a far-right prime minister. The French president may be hoping that his same warnings will mobilize more voters in a national election and that structural differences in the election — higher turnout, two rounds of voting — will play to his advantage.
His success or failure will depend on his party’s ability to mobilize voters with arguments about the nationalist threat and the survival of Europe — arguments that failed to cut through in Sunday night’s elections.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Macron inicia 1era visita de Estado de un presidente francés a Alemania en 24 añosBERLÍN (AP) — El presidente Emmanuel Macron inició el domingo la primera visita de Estado de un mandatario francés a Alemania en 24 años, una gira de tres días con el objetivo de subrayar los fuertes lazos entre las máximas potencias por tradición de la Unión Europea de cara a las elecciones al Parlamento Europeo, en que partidos ultraderechistas...
Read more »
Biden and Macron stress a shared vision on Ukraine and Gaza even amid bubbling disagreementsThe two leaders met on Saturday as questions persist over the future of Ukraine funding and a peace proposal for Gaza.
Read more »
2024 Elections: Should I even vote when I don't even like the candidates?Why should I vote? Does it make a difference? What if I don't like the choice of candidates?
Read more »
NYC man sentenced to 15 years in battered child syndrome death of girlfriend's sonA 30-year-old Brooklyn man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for causing the death of his girlfriend's 4-year-old son in 2021 after causing him numerous…
Read more »
A look at large, accumulating hail that battered the Denver metro overnightJeff is a digital journalist with the Denver7 team.
Read more »
Weather-weary Texas battered again as powerful storm, strong winds kill 1, cause widespread damageWeather-weary Texas has been hammered again by powerful storms bearing forceful winds that left one person dead, collapsed homes under construction and uprooted trees.
Read more »