Populists are gaining strength – 2024 EU elections: Europe’s unity is wavering

Irregular migration, fear of loss of prosperity and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are causing increasing unrest among citizens in the 27 nation states that make up the EU. The result: populists easily make themselves heard with seemingly simple solutions to complex problems, and the political balance shifts increasingly to the right.

In Germany, AfD leader Tino Chrupalla could speak of a ‘historic result’. “We achieved a good result and I think it will only get better as the evening progresses. So we will not give up second place today.” According to the first forecasts, the AfD managed to win from eleven to 16 to 16.5 percent compared to the 2019 European elections. AfD co-leader Alice Weidel spoke of a “super result ”.

According to the ARD forecast on Sunday evening, the CDU/CSU became the strongest force in Germany with 30 percent. The AfD is in second place with 16.5 percent of the votes. The SPD got 14 percent, the Greens 12 percent. The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) immediately gained 5.5 percent, while the left received 2.8 percent of the votes.

The German Chancellor’s Party suffers a heavy defeat
CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann called the Union a clear winner of the European elections in Germany. “We will keep going,” he assured on ARD. “The chancellor’s party has 14 percent, we have more than twice as much.” SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz cannot continue like this. “He should actually ask the Bundestag the question of confidence,” said Linnemann. It can’t go on like this any longer. Linnemann said on ZDF: “What we are experiencing is disastrous. “Either the traffic light changes course, or it must pave the way for new elections.”

SPD Secretary General Kevin Kühnert described his party’s performance in the European elections as “a very bitter election result”. “It is a heavy defeat for us today,” said Kühnert, also on ARD. Green Party leader Ricarda Lang was also disappointed there: “That is not the ambition with which we entered these elections and we will work through that together.”

Malta’s ruling party is suffering losses
In the smallest EU country, Malta, the social-democratic ruling Labor party suffered significant losses in the European elections after initial partial results. Yet Prime Minister Robert Abela spoke on Sunday of a “solid” victory in the capital Valletta. The Mediterranean island with approximately half a million inhabitants has six Members of the European Parliament.

According to this afternoon’s forecasts, three of these mandates will go to Labour. The conservative opposition Nationalist Party can expect two to three seats. The previous President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, also has a mandate in the new Parliament. The Labor Party’s election campaign was marred by a corruption scandal surrounding Malta’s former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

Conservative New Democracy is the strongest force in Greece
In Greece, the conservative ruling New Democracy party will also be the strongest force in the EU elections, according to initial predictions. According to an estimate based on post-election polls, the party received 30 percent of the vote, followed by the left-wing Syriza party with just under 17 percent. The social-democratic Pasok has just over twelve percent.

Conservative DISY party wins in Cyprus
Dimokratikos Synagermos (DISY), a Christian Democratic and conservative party, also wins the European elections in Cyprus. According to initial predictions, she will win two of the six Cypriot seats in the EU Parliament. The former communist party AKEL (Anorthotiko Komma Ergazomenou Laou) comes in second, followed by 24-year-old influencer Fidias Panayiotou. The right-wing nationalist party ELAM will probably enter the EU Parliament with a new member.