European Parliament Elections: Gains by Far-Right Prompt Snap Election in France

Gains by far-right parties in the European Parliament (EP) elections on Sunday have prompted a bruised French President Emmanuel Macron to call a snap national election, adding uncertainty to Europe’s future political direction. While the center, liberal, and Socialist parties are set to retain a majority in the 720-seat parliament, the vote dealt a significant blow to the leaders of both France and Germany, raising questions about how the European Union’s major powers can drive policy in the bloc.

In a risky move to reestablish his authority, Macron announced a parliamentary election, with the first round scheduled for June 30. Similarly, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz experienced a challenging night as his Social Democrats scored their worst result ever, suffering losses to mainstream conservatives and the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni saw her position strengthened, with her arch-conservative Brothers of Italy group winning the most votes, according to exit polls.

Implications of EP election

A rightward shift in the European Parliament may complicate the passage of new legislation needed to address security challenges, climate change, and industrial competition from China and the United States. However, the extent of the euro-skeptic nationalist parties’ influence will depend on their ability to overcome differences and work together. These parties are currently divided between two political families, with some parties and lawmakers still outside these groupings.

What is the European Parliament?

Currently led by Roberta Metsola, the European Parliament is the EU’s legislative unit. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts European legislation following proposals by the European Commission. Notably, the European Parliament is the only directly elected institution of the EU. Interestingly, the number of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the European Parliament is set to rise from 705 to 720. Since 1979, the Parliament has been directly elected every five years by the citizens of the European Union through universal suffrage.