The European elections on 6-9 June have brought mixed results. In the European Parliament, the populist, nationalist and far-right parties won seats but not as many as predicted. The pro-EU groups – European Popular Party (EPP), the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the liberals and centrists in Renew Europe and the Greens – still hold the majority but will find it challenging to steer the political direction of the EU because of their differences on a number of issues like climate, migration or social policy.
In a twist that demonstrates that all levels of European politics are increasingly interconnected, the consequences of the EU vote are felt more vividly in some member states. This is the case in Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is seriously challenged for the first time in years, or in the Netherlands, where the coalition being put in place failed the electoral test.
It is also the case in spectacular fashion in France, where the crushing victory of the far-right led President Emmanuel Macron to call for snap elections in the coming weeks. As well as in Germany, where the three parties of the governing coalition lag behind the conservatives and the far-right, further weakened Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In turn, the situation in the EU’s two largest and most influential countries will likely impact the functioning of the Union.
How will the political developments in the European Parliament and in the member states influence policymaking in the new political-institutional cycle? In the wake of the EU citizens’ vote, EPC experts analyse the results and look at the lessons that can be learned. They also examine the future of key issues, like the Green Deal, enlargement and migration. This compendium will help in better understanding the short and long-term trends and challenges, as the institution’s leadership is renewed and the next policy agenda is formed.
Read the full paper here.