The European Parliament Elections are one of the most important elements of the democratic structure of the European Union and this year’s elections, which took place between 6-9 June 2024, are of great importance for the future of European politics. In the elections, approximately 450 million voters from 27 member states go to the polls to elect 720 members of the Parliament, the legislative body of the European Union. This process reinforces the democratic legitimacy of the EU and plays an important role in shaping EU policies.
Following the crushing defeat of his allies against the far-right National Union Party in the European Parliament elections, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would dissolve parliament and call for early elections. According to reliable projections, Macron’s centrist list received between 14.8% and 15.2% of the vote, while the National Unity Party achieved a historic 31.5% to 33%.
In his televised speech Macron said “At the end of the day, I won’t be able to pretend that nothing happened.”[1] and announced that he decided to renew the parliament. Macron continued, “France needs a clear majority in peace and harmony. Being French is about choosing, from the heart, to write history, not to be guided by it.”he concluded.[2] While the centre, liberal and socialist parties were expected to maintain their majority in the 720-seat parliament, the election results dealt a domestic blow to the French leader. In a risky move to reassert his authority, Macron announced that the first round of elections would be held on 30 June and the second round on 7 July.[3]
Jordan Bardella, the young leader of the National Unity Party, stated that French voters clearly expressed a “desire for change” and called for early elections. Bardella emphasised that Macron was a “weakened president” and that the election results were a “bitter rejection”. Veteran far-right leader Marine Le Pen said: “If the French people trust us in these upcoming general elections, we are ready to take power. We are ready to put the country back on its feet. We are ready to defend the interests of the French people. We are ready to end mass immigration.”.[4] These developments could significantly reshape the political scene in France.
Noting that Macron’s centrist alliance lacks a majority in the lower house and passes laws without a vote using a controversial constitutional device, he predicted that the president could be in a difficult situation after the European elections. Weakened by this defeat, Macron may face repeated censorship proposals and may want to avoid a scenario that could result in the collapse of the government.
Macron’s capitulation to pressure from the far right is seen by some analysts as a dangerous step to play with democracy and institutions. It could be argued that dissolving parliament without giving anyone time to organise and campaign would amount to “playing Russian roulette with the fate of the country”.
The National Unity Party was not the only far-right party to celebrate the election results on Sunday night. Far-right parties also increased their votes in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. In Germany, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) received 16.5 per cent of the vote, while in Austria the Freedom Party came first with 27 per cent. In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders’ party came second behind a left-green alliance. These results show that the rise of the far right continues across Europe.
However, MEPs from the four mainstream pro-European groups in the European Parliament are likely to retain their majority in the chamber. Although these groups will face more difficulties in passing legislation, they do not paint a completely bleak picture for the centre parties. Voters in most EU countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland, went to the polls and shaped the political future of Europe. These elections are also of historic significance as the first elections after Britain’s departure from the EU.
The far-right’s gains in the European Parliament elections forced Macron to call for early general elections and created uncertainty over the future political direction of Europe. Macron’s decision for early elections may reshape the French political scene. The rise of the far right could have profound effects on the centre parties and the overall political balance in Europe. The future of France will depend on the decisions of the voters in the coming weeks. This process may have important consequences not only for France but also for Europe as a whole. The new composition of the European Parliament will determine the future policies and direction of the EU. The challenges and opportunities facing Europe will be shaped by the results of these elections.
[1] Jon Henley-Jennifer Rankin-Lisa O’Carroll, “EU elections: Macron to dissolve French parliament after crushing loss to far right”, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/09/eu-elections-far-right-gains-germany-austria-netherlands-exit-polls, (Date of Access: 10.06.2024).
[2] Gıorgıo Lealı-Nıcolas Camut-Eddy Wax, “Macron gambles on snap election to fight far-right surge”, Politico, https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-european-election-results-2024-emmanuel-macron-dissolve-parliament-france/, (Date of Access: 10.06.2024).
[3] Jan Strupczewski-Sudip Kar-Gupta-Ingrid Melander, “Far-right advances in EU election, France calls snap national vote”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/european-parliament-poised-rightward-shift-after-final-voting-2024-06-09/ (Date of Access: 10.06.2024).
[4] Ibid.
