The recent elections in the European Union (EU) member states have once again demonstrated the rise of the far right. In the elections, the far right gained a strong momentum, especially in the six signatories of the Treaty of Rome. This reflects the rapid rise of the far right among the founding members of the EU and the emergence of a trend that paints a more mixed picture in the east and north of Europe in general.
Far-right parties were the big winners in France, Italy and Belgium. The National Union (RN) in France, Fratelli d’Italia in Italy and Vlaams Belang in Belgium were victorious. In Germany and the Netherlands, the far-right parties AfD and PVV came second in the elections, respectively. Of the six signatories to the Treaty of Rome, only Luxembourg was able to resist the rise of the far right. However, for the first time in its history, Luxembourg will send a far-right MEP to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
This is due to a combination of the rise of the far right among the EU’s founding countries and the rise of the radical right across Europe. This can be interpreted as the EU’s founders receiving “Europe’s pension” and thinking that “the achievements of the European Union are permanent and can be played with fire”.[i]
Although the reasons for the success of the far right vary from country to country, this common rise in the EU’s founding countries is striking. Especially the younger generation is beginning to think that the European Union is a legacy and that this legacy is under threat.
Traces of nationalism are still strong in EU countries. In Spain and Portugal, the memory of the Franco and Salazar eras is still vivid. In Greece, too, the Colonels’ regime is not forgotten. In Central and Eastern Europe, the far right is part of the political landscape of countries like Hungary and Poland.
In these regions, the recent Russian-Ukrainian war may have revived this sentiment. In Romania and Poland, the war was central to the electoral campaign and contributed to the success of pro-European parties. These countries are wary of Russia and argue that the EU is part of their security.[ii]
The lower-than-expected electoral progress of far-right parties in Europe calls for a reassessment of their place and influence on the European political scene. In the 2024 European Parliament Elections, the strength of the far right increased less than expected in some countries.
First of all, the increase in the electoral results of far-right parties often depends on the ideology and policy priorities of such parties. These parties often focus on issues such as national identity, immigration, the role of the European Union and economic policies. For example, parties such as the RN in France and the AfD in Germany have emphasized immigration and the role of the European Union respectively. However, the fact that far-right parties made less progress than expected in these elections suggests that their policy priorities were not fully embraced by the electorate. This may indicate that voters are hesitant to accept the policy priorities and ideologies of these parties. The less-than-expected progress of the far right in these elections may lead voters to question their trust and support for such parties. This suggests that far-right parties need to reassess their policy priorities and ideologies in order to appeal to a broader voter base. [iii]
France is facing the rise of the far right and the public reaction to it. Macron used the unexpected dissolution of parliament and the subsequent presidential elections as a maneuver against the rise of the far right. However, this strategy has exacerbated the public backlash against Macron.[iv]
The rise of the far right in France in recent years has been part of a Europe-wide trend. Far-right parties have gained popularity especially with their harsh policies against immigrants and their rhetoric of protecting national identities. In France, the National Unity Party led by Marine Le Pen has been one of the pioneers of this trend. Macron’s presidency has further increased polarization in France. Macron came to power by overcoming the traditional center-right and center-left parties. However, his policies have often been criticized in favor of the elites, which has increased popular discontent.[v]
The “Yellow Vests” protests in particular represent a large-scale resistance to Macron’s policies. Macron’s decision to dissolve parliament has exacerbated this discontent. For many, this move was a sign of Macron’s disregard for the will of the people who oppose him. By disregarding the will of the people with this decision, Macron has further increased the backlash against him.[vi]
On the other hand, the rise of the far right reflects public concerns and fears. Public concerns about economic uncertainty, immigration issues and the preservation of national identity have paved the way for the far right to gain strength.
As a result, the less-than-expected progress made by far-right parties could be an important turning point in the political landscape in Europe. This suggests that the policy priorities and ideologies of the far right are not fully embraced by the electorate and that these parties need to reassess their strategies to appeal to a broader electoral base. This provides important clues as to how the political landscape in Europe will be shaped in the future.
The rise of the far right in France and Macron’s policies that disregard the will of the people have led to a deep political crisis in the country. The solution to this crisis requires a policy approach that understands and responds to the concerns and fears of the people. However, this contradicts Macron’s current policies and strategies. Therefore, a significant change is needed to resolve the political crisis in France.
[i] “Elections européennes : l’extrême droite en force dans les pays fondateurs de l’UE”, Le Monde, https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2024/06/13/elections-europeennes-l-extreme-droite-en-force-dans-les-pays-fondateurs-de-l-ue_6239225_3210.html, (Access Date:29.06.2024).
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] “Aux élections européennes, l’extrême droite progresse moins fortement qu’attendu”, The Conversation, https://theconversation.com/aux-elections-europeennes-lextreme-droite-progresse-moins-fortement-quattendu-231973, (Access Date:29.06.2024).
[iv] “A Paris, les manifestants contre l’extrême droite espèrent “gagner et pas simplement faire barrage” lors des législatives” , France TV Info, https://www.francetvinfo.fr/elections/reportage-a-paris-les-manifestants-contre-l-extreme-droite-esperent-gagner-et-pas-simplement-faire-barrage-lors-des-legislatives_6606300.html, (Access Date:29.06.2024).
[v] “«Emmanuel Macron, qui a déclenché cette dissolution pour piéger les partis, s’est piégé lui-même »“, Le Monde, https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2024/06/14/emmanuel-macron-qui-a-declenche-cette-dissolution-pour-pieger-les-partis-s-est-piege-lui-meme_6239949_823448.html, (Access Date:29.06.2024).
[vi] “Manifestations contre l’extrême droite : Nîmes, La Rochelle, Tours, Nancy, Périgueux… Le point sur la mobilisation”, France TV Info, https://www.francetvinfo.fr/elections/manifestations-contre-l-extreme-droite-nimes-la-rochelle-tours-nancy-perigueux-le-point-sur-la-mobilisation_6606000.html, (Access Date:29.06.2024).
