Far right advances in European Parliament vote; see projections

European Union voters went to the polls in all 27 states of the bloc between Thursday (6) and this Sunday (9). According to official estimates, the election to renew the European Parliament had 51% participation. See the main projections.

Post-vote projections

The European People’s Party (PPE), a center-right acronym, won five more seats in parliament to have 181 MEPs. In a speech after the release of the projection, the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen said that the EPP is the anchor of stability and no majority in parliament can be formed without the acronym.

The head of the European Commission is seeking a second five-year term at the head of the European Union’s powerful executive arm, and even with her party’s leadership, Von Der Leyen may still need support from the right, such as Gioriga Meloni’s party, Italian Prime Minister.

Germany

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party came second behind the opposition conservatives with 16.5% of the vote, a 5% increase on the 2019 result, according to an exit poll. poll published by public broadcaster ARD.

The center-right Christian Democratic Party (CDU) is projected to win 29.5% of the vote, making it the strongest party.

The survey also indicates a poor performance by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), which finished in third place with 14%.

Austria

In Austria, the far-right Freedom Party is the likely winner of the vote, according to a poll based on surveys carried out last week and published when voting closed on Sunday night. If confirmed, this will be the party’s first victory in a European election.

Austria is a relatively small country with just 20 seats in the European Parliament. The result is, to some extent, a rehearsal for the country’s parliamentary elections later this year.

Belgium

The New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) is expected to remain Belgium’s largest party, resisting a larger rise from the far-right party Vlaams Belang (VB), which made the biggest gain.

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s Flemish liberals fell, while the French-speaking liberal Mouvement Reformateur party was the largest in Brussels and Wallonia, putting the country on track for months of challenging coalition negotiations.

Bulgaria

Projections in Bulgaria indicate that the center-right GERB party is expected to win Sunday’s election, but will have to find coalition partners to form a government. The reformist We Continue the Change was projected to come in second place and the ultranationalist Revival is expected to come in third.

Slovakia

Progressive Slovakia, a liberal, pro-Western opposition party in Slovakia, defeated SMER-SD, the largest party in the left-wing nationalist government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, who survived an assassination attempt last month.

France

In France, the far-right National Union (RN) party came out on top with 31.5% of the vote, more than double the share of French President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, which came second with 15.2%. %, ahead of the socialists in third with 14.3%.

The results led French President Emmanuel Macron to dissolve the National Assembly and call early legislative elections.

Hungary

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, in coalition with the country’s Christian Democratic People’s Party (KDNP), came out on top with 43.7% of the vote, according to an exit poll.

However, this is a drop of around 10% in support since 2019. In second place, the Tisza party, led by political newcomer Peter Magyar, gained 30.7%.

Italy

The ultra-conservative Brothers of Italy group, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, won the most votes in the European parliamentary election, early results showed, strengthening its position both at home and abroad.

The opposition center-left Democratic Party came in second with 23.7%, while another opposition group, the 5-Star Movement, came in third with 10.5% — its worst performance nationally since its creation in 2009.

Poland

In Poland, the European Union’s largest eastern member, Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist Civic Coalition (KO), was projected to win the European vote, according to an exit poll, taking a step toward establishing itself as the dominant force in the country after a campaign driven by security concerns.

Romania

In Romania, the ruling coalition of left-wing Social Democrats (PSD) and center-right liberals (PNL) won 54% of the vote in the European Parliament elections in which they ran on joint lists, according to an exit poll.

AUR, a far-right group founded five years ago that opposes immigration and military aid to Ukraine, came second in European polls with 14% of the vote.

Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, ANO, a populist opposition, beat the center-right group Spolu, which leads the government.