es. Vienna, 23.55 CET, June 9, 2024
Here are the results 375m EU voters have been waiting for, and what they mean in terms of the composition of the European Parliament. As predicted, the elections have powerfully boosted right-wing populist parties, though their toxic nationalism tends to work against coherent parliamentary cooperation as a group. But the centrist EPP Group even gained a few seats, and their candidate Ursula 
von der Leyen (left) looks safe as Commission President for another five years.
Projected vote breakdown, versus previous parliament:
European People’s Party (EPP) — 186 seats, up from 176
Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats (S&D) — 133 seats, down from 139
Renew Europe (RE) — 82 seats, down from 102
European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) — 70 seats, up from 69
Identity and Democracy (ID) — 60 seats, up from 49
Greens/European Free Alliance — 53 seats, down from 71
The Left — 36 seats, down from 37
Non-attached members (NI) — 50 seats, down from 62
These elections have served largely – for most of Europe’s nearly 4 million voters – as a national opinion poll, not really a European one. But it is evident that liberal democracy in Europe is in trouble. The Washington Post analysis concludes gloomily: “The vote is grim reading for centrist stalwarts such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“The latter’s Social Democrats were, according to exit polls, slated to finish a humbling third behind their main centre-right rivals and the far-right Alternative for Germany party, the AfD. The former saw his party trounced by that of far-right leader Marine Le Pen.” More
Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party did sufficiently badly against Marine Le Pen’s National Rally for the President to call snap national elections.
One of the most interesting and perhaps fateful results is the vote in Hungary.
With a new party, Tisza, (Respect and Freedom) is committed to Europe and to cutting clientilism and corruption. Its vice-president, lawyer and diplomat Péter Magyar, 43, once an insider in the Fidez ruling party, has quickly made considerable strides against veteran prime minister Viktor Orbán. Fidesz, with its ever-closer relationship to Moscow, led a “peace” campaign to persuade other EU Member States to stop supporting Ukraine in the war with Russia. Fidesz won, but Tisrza scored a more than respectable third of the vote.
In July, Hungary is due to take over the rotating EU presidency (till December 2024).
- Voxeurop in Brussels, co-founded and edited by our man in Brussels, Gian-Paolo Accardo, carries detailed and accurate coverage and analysis of the elections and all things European. He sent out an inspiring message to voters about what these elections might mean for democracy and press freedom.