New election results in the European Union have revealed a significant shift away from far-left policies, with voters dealing a blow to several liberal European leaders. The outcome has prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to call for a snap election, a decision that came as a surprise to many. Macron's announcement followed the initial results of the parliamentary election, which are still being tallied.
In a direct address to the citizens, Macron acknowledged their concerns and expressed a commitment to addressing them. He announced the dissolution of the National Assembly, paving the way for new elections to be held at the end of this month and the beginning of the next, just before the country is set to host the Olympics.
The right-wing party in France, led by Marine Le Pen, emerged victorious in the EU parliamentary election, garnering double the votes of Macron's pro-European centrists. Le Pen has vowed to implement changes, particularly focusing on cracking down on illegal immigration.
Across the EU, key concerns for voters include immigration, the economy, and international conflicts, as indicated by new data. In Italy, Prime Minister Gloria Maloney's conservative Brothers of Italy group saw a significant increase in EU Assembly seats. Meanwhile, in Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats suffered their worst-ever results, losing about 14% to the conservative opposition. In Austria, the right-leaning Freedom Party outperformed both the Conservative Party and the Social Democrats.
The EU Parliament comprises 720 seats representing approximately 450 million people, underscoring the significance of voter turnout and the impact of these election results. The recent wave of rightwards gains in various EU countries signals a broader shift in political dynamics across the region.
