The results of the European Parliament elections show varying trends across the EU. As predicted by experts in the build-up, Europe’s far-right parties made substantial gains– most notably in France, Germany, and Italy – while election fatigue plagued Bulgaria; the EU election saw its population head to the polls for the sixth time in three years, with the country recording a low turn-out. On the other hand, amid a shift to the right, voters in Poland and Spain demonstrated stronger support for pro-EU parties than perhaps expected.

In this week’s special episode of Europe in 30 Minutes, deputy director of ECFR Vessela Tcherneva welcomes the ECFR national office heads of Berlin, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Sofia and Warsaw, Jana Puglierin, Célia Belin, José Ignacio Torreblanca,  Arturo Varvelli, Maria Simeonova, and Piotr Buras, to discuss national implications of the EU elections. What might a weakened Scholz and strengthened Meloni mean for Europe’s future? Which coalitions are likely in Bulgaria? How can Tusk leverage his national support at EU level? And what is Macron’s thinking behind calling France’s snap election?

Bookshelf

Winds of change: the EU’s green agenda after the European Parliament election, by Susi Dennison, Mats Engström, and Carla Hobbs.