The recent EU elections held in 27 countries from June 6-9 have shown a significant surge in support for anti-immigrant, nationalist figures in France and Germany. French President Emmanuel Macron announced his decision to dissolve France's National Assembly after the far-right party, the National Rally led by Marine Le Pen, defeated Macron's Renew Party. This move is seen as a high-stakes gamble that will result in new elections being held between June 30 and July 7, potentially leading to further gains for the National Rally.
In Germany, Alternative for Germany (AfD), considered a "suspected" extremist group by German authorities, also saw a surge in support, overtaking the Social Democratic party. AfD received 16.5% of the vote, up from 11% in 2019. Polls indicate that populist politicians are also gaining an advantage in Italy, Belgium, and Austria.
Since the 2019 European Parliament elections, far-right politicians have been leading in Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia, and are part of ruling coalitions in Sweden, Finland, and the Netherlands. The rise in support for far-right parties can be attributed to anti-immigration and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, as well as policies focused on nationalism and identity.
If early results are confirmed, the right's power across the European Union is expected to strengthen, which could impact the parliament's ability to pass laws and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. The far-right parties within the EU have a pro-Russia stance, pushing for a peace deal between the countries on Russia's terms.