Europe’s gradual drift to the right has been a long journey, marked by the mainstream increasingly accommodating Euroskeptic views that were once considered fringe. The projected gains for the hard right in the 2024 European Parliament election may seem modest in pure numbers but hold significant implications.
The results represent a significant challenge to the pro-Europe mainstream officials who currently dominate the institutions of the European Union. While the advances of far-right parties may not be unexpected and don’t pose an existential threat to the EU, they highlight how the Euroskeptic right could tighten its grip on the union’s direction in the coming years.
Over the next 24 hours, center parties, projected to remain the largest bloc in the 2024 European Parliament election, will likely discuss forming a “grand coalition” to counter the rise of the far right. Despite the anticipated large gains by the far right, center parties still hold a lead.
On paper, pro-EU parties can claim victory. By the numbers alone, the centrist coalition has held its ground. The center-right European People’s Party, the center-left Socialists and Democrats, and the liberal Renew Europe remain the three largest groups in the European Parliament. When combined with the pro-Europe Greens, the center forms by far the largest bloc.
Europe’s shift to the right is more than just a political trend; it’s a significant force reshaping the future direction of the European Union. While the center holds, the growing influence of Euroskeptic parties underscores a dynamic political landscape in the 2024 European Parliament election.
