By Ambassador Gurjit Singh

The recently-concluded four-day election (4-9 June) in the 27 EU countries for representation to the 720-member European Parliament, is the second-largest democratic election after India’s recent election, with 400 million registered voters. The outcome of the voting for the next five-years has thrown up a right-leaning win that has changed the balance between centrist and right-wing parties.

There is much at stake, with repercussions within the European Parliament itself, and for the substantive domestic issues of the major countries in the EU. The question is: Is this election an indication of a future Europe turning right, or is it a reaction to domestic situations individually within states?[1]

The biggest winner is Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni’s right party while German Chancellor Scholz and French President Macron have been the most significant losers.

There has been a build-up of sentiment since the previous election in 2019 when right-wing parties led governments in Hungary, Slovakia and Italy. They participate in ruling coalitions in Sweden, Finland and soon, perhaps the Netherlands. Polls give these parties a lead in France, Belgium, Austria and Italy.[2]

The European People’s Party (EPP) remains the lead grouping. It is the only centrist party to increase its share in this election: the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) are consistent, but the liberal Renew Europe group is diminished.[3]

The new Commission after the elections will have to set fresh priorities and could possibly acquire new direction. A reduced emphasis on green objectives could be a sign of the times to come in the European Parliament. The voters in various countries tend to believe that they understand their own concerns better than the ‘remote elites in Brussels’ and........

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