World

EU election maps show far-right swing as Scholz and Macron humiliated


Far-right parties have made significant gains in the European Parliament elections, shaking the traditional power structures and prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to call for snap legislative elections.

Maps depicting the election results in France, Germany, and Italy vividly illustrate the shift in voter sentiment towards far-right parties across these major EU nations.

In France, the electoral map shows Macron’s party suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of the far-right National Rally party. Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally, declared her readiness to take the reins of power following the party’s strong performance.

“We’re ready for it. After the legislative elections of 2022, which designated the National Rally Party as the main parliamentary opponent, these European elections confirm our movement as the major force for change in France,” she told supporters in Paris.

“We are ready to exercise power if the French people place their trust in us in these future legislative elections. We’re ready to turn the country around, ready to defend the interests of the French, ready to put an end to mass immigration, ready to make the purchasing power of the French a priority.”

In Germany, the electoral map highlights a significant decline in support for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s centre-left Social Democrats, plummeting to a projected 14 percent. It also showcases the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany, which surged into second place.

Final results confirmed a decisive victory for the mainstream opposition conservatives with 30 percent of the vote.

Scholz’s Social Democrats faced their worst post-World War II result in a nationwide election, with only 13.9 percent of the vote. The Greens and the Free Democrats also performed poorly, obtaining 11.9 percent and 5.2 percent respectively.

Germany’s new European Parliament delegation will consist of 96 seats: 29 for the Union bloc, 15 for Alternative for Germany, 14 for the Social Democrats, 12 for the Greens, five for the Free Democrats, and six for the new BSW party.

In Italy, the map indicates Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party leading with 28.5 percent of the vote, based on initial projections from 18 percent of votes counted. The centre-left Democratic Party (PD) follows with 23.7 percent. The 5-Star Movement, Forza Italia, and the far-right Lega trail with 10.5 percent, 10 percent, and 8.3 percent respectively.

Millions of Europeans voted for candidates to serve five-year terms in the new European Parliament, the legislative branch of the 27-member trade bloc. Preliminary results indicate that the Christian Democrats will hold 189 seats (up 13), the Social Democrats 135 (down 4), and the pro-business Renew group 83 (down 19). The Greens saw a decline to 53 seats (down 18).

In Austria, the far-right Freedom Party celebrated a narrow victory in the European Parliament election, with the country anticipating a national vote in September.

The Freedom Party secured 25.7 percent of the vote, placing it ahead of Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s conservative Austrian People’s Party, which garnered 24.7 percent. The centre-left opposition Social Democrats received 23.2 percent, while the Greens, Nehammer’s junior coalition partners, obtained 10.7 percent.

Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl said: “This election result means nothing less than that Austrians have made history today.” He expressed confidence that the party will continue its efforts to secure the chancellor’s position later this year. Nehammer acknowledged the widespread dissatisfaction and promised that his party would address voters’ concerns by tackling issues like irregular migration and overregulation.

In the Czech Republic, the centrist opposition ANO movement led by former populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis won the European Parliament election, defeating the centre-right Together coalition. ANO secured 26 percent of the votes, translating to seven seats, while Together obtained 22 percent, earning six seats.

In the Netherlands, near-complete results confirmed Geert Wilders’ far-right, anti-immigration Party for Freedom as the biggest winner, securing six seats, a significant increase from the previous one seat in the last European Parliament. Wilders celebrated the results, declaring: “Still the very biggest winner with five more seats!” on social media.

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