European Parliament elections. The failure of the Kremlin’s plans

The centrist and pro-Ukrainian European People’s Party will be the largest political force in the new composition of the European Parliament.

EU citizens have elected a new European Parliament. Most of them keep centrist parties, but the far right has also significantly strengthened their positions. However, the Kremlin really hoped for the victory of far-right parties that advocated the weakening or dissolution of the European Union, the restoration of close relations with Russia and the cessation of support for Ukraine, but this did not happen.

Voting results

The center-right European People’s Party will get around 190 seats, the Socialists and Democrats will remain in second place with 135 seats, and the liberal group Renew will remain in third place with 80 seats.

As the votes are counted, these figures will change slightly, but it is safe to say that, in general, the centrist parties have maintained their positions.

At the same time, in France, Germany and Italy, the right has made significant progress. Compared to the last European Parliament elections in 2019, the right improved its results.

The rightists are on the march

Thus, the National Rally of Marine Le Pen, who received 30 of the 81 seats assigned to France in the European Parliament. That was double the number of votes for President Emmanuel Macron’s liberal Renew coalition. In its commentary, the Financial Times called the results of the French vote a political massacre.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni’s Brothers of Italy won 24 seats and increased their representation in the European Parliament. Almost 29% of voters voted for the right-wing party, a result that cemented Meloni’s position as the dominant figure in his ruling coalition and will help in negotiations with other European leaders.

In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany defeated all three parties that were part of Scholz’s coalition and took second place behind the conservative opposition CDU-CSU, which won 15 seats in the European Parliament. Despite the recent scandals, the AfD won 15.6% of the vote, one of the best results in a national election, although less than the 22% predicted in January polls.

Ultra-conservative and nationalist parties won or made significant gains in Austria, Greece and the Netherlands, where Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom Party won six seats in the European Parliament, according to exit polls.

The center holds

However, centrist parties retained a majority in the new parliament.

The center-right European People’s Party will be the largest political force in the new European Parliament. He managed to win six new deputies;

In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist Civic Coalition, part of the EPP, won against the Law and Justice conservatives. In Spain, the center-right People’s Party, which is also part of the EPP, topped the party of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The center-left Socialists and Democrats will be the second largest political bloc, although they lost four lawmakers and could hold 135 seats, according to exit polls.

The pro-European centre-right, centre-left, liberal and green parties are expected to retain a 460-seat majority in the 720-seat parliament, although this is slightly smaller than the 488 in the previous 705-seat that parliament.

“In the middle there is still a majority for a strong Europe. The center is holding,” said the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, after summarizing the preliminary results.

The Kremlin lostral

“Apparently, the majority will be pro-European and pro-Ukrainian… And, of course, despite the fact that so far the pro-Europeans have retained their leading, leading positions, but over time, apparently, the parties on the right step on their heels,” the newspaper commented on the election results -Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov.

In some European countries, Russia has been directly accused of meddling in these elections and supporting far-right parties.

“According to our intelligence, Moscow’s goal is very clear. It is to help elect as many pro-Russian candidates as possible to the European Parliament and strengthen some pro-Russian narratives in this institution,” said of Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo before the election.

“The disappointment in the Kremlin with the outcome of the European elections is great. The Putin regime probably cannot wait until a new opportunity in five years. Meanwhile, Europe has become more pro-Ukrainian, more ready to fight those Moscow’s intrigues and schemes, and even more determined to support NATO and the principles of collective defense against the known arch-enemy. Along with renewed supplies of arms and money to Ukraine, the European Parliament elections are taking place the ruling regime in Moscow hopes for a quick and decisive war, and a long, exhausting war is beyond Russia’s strength; it cannot be won against a United Consolidated Europe and NATO. t in the circles of Russian power today they are moving from rosy dreams to bitter reflections and looking for a real way out of the adventure into which the country is dragged by an unopposed that leader,” believes Russian political scientist Andrei Zubov.