Far Right gains in European Union parliamentary elections

After four days of voting with the polls closed in all 27 members of the bloc, the European Union parliamentary elections have delivered a resounding verdict.

Far-right parties have made major gains in a sign of continuity with the anti-establishment sentiment that has swept through Europe for over a decade.

• Far-right surges in EU elections amid low turnout
  

  Far-right surges in EU elections amid low turnout

  Far-right makes gains in European parliament elections.

In France, Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) delivered a crushing defeat to the progressive pro-free market parties with French President Emmanuel Macron calling snap legislative elections on June 30, a move that could inflict further losses on his Renaissance Group.

• Macron dissolves parliament and calls a snap election
  

  Rise of the right: France's Macron dissolves parl., calls snap election after defeat in EU vote

  France

In Germany, the unpopular center left ruling coalition parties suffered a crushing blow with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats recording their worst result in a national vote in more than a century and the extreme right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party putting in a strong show.

In Italy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with her far right party, Brothers of Italy, emerged as the largest group strengthening her hand, both at home and abroad.

I am proud that the majority coalition which runs our nation has made gains together.

Italians are urging us to go ahead.

Georgia Meloni, Italian Prime Minister

• The rise of the far-right in Italy
  

  The rise of the far-right in Italy

  A right-wing coalition, led by the far-right Fratellid’Italia party, has scooped a majority of the votes in Italy

This EU vote will not only elect 720 lawmakers in the EU parliament but, more importantly, it will decide who takes the helm at the European institutions in Brussels, including the Commission and the Council, at a time when the credibility of the European Union has been severely damaged by its lack of geopolitical autonomy and worsening economic conditions.

The European Union should stand a bit closer to the people.

I hope the new fiscal rules in the stability pact will be reviewed as they are too harsh on us citizens.

Italian Member of Public 01

• EU parliament to shift to the right
  

  EU parliament to shift to the right

  Populist radical right parties are expected to gain votes and seats in the 2024 European Parliamentary elections due to the EU leadership

European Parliament elections have always failed to excite the interest of voters. This latest round of elections has confirmed the trend as barely one out of two voters went to the polls.

For an increasing number of voters, the European Union elections are without a real purpose.

The European Parliament can neither create nor repeal legislation, only the unelected European Commission can, this, together with other crucial issues has estranged EU citizens from the European institutions.

Our distrust in the EU is due to the fact that the EU parliament has a little power compared to the other EU institutions.

The council's veto power is far more relevant than that of the lawmakers and EU citizens feel excluded from EU decision making.

Italian Member of Public 02

• German finance minister censures von der Leyen 
  

  German finance minister censures von der Leyen for EU’s ‘lost years’

  “The past few years under the responsibility of a commission led by Ursula von der Leyen have been lost years for competitiveness.”

EU citizens are also saying that mainstream media are not fairly covering EU elections.

They are gradually stripping us of our freedom here in Europe, gradually, relentlessly.

They are taking everything away from us, journalists with no backbone are responsible for that, and the TVs are responsible.

So as not to lose their job, journalists are willing to lie to us. I'm really worried.

Italian Member of Public 03

• The ramifications and reasons for economic strife in Europe
  

  The ramifications and reasons for economic strife in Europe

  European countries are experiencing a wave of strikes and protests due to high energy prices, an unprecedented rise in living costs compounded by poor pay and working conditions as well as other government policies.

Since the adoption of the single currency in Europe in 2001, the economic situation has worsened for tens of millions of people in the Old Continent.

According to the latest reports by the National Bureau of Statistics, Istat, more than one in four people in Italy currently live in a state of relative poverty.

• One in four young Italians at risk of social exclusion
  

  One in four young Italians at risk of social exclusion

  A report by the statistical agency, Eurostat, says one in four young Italians are at risk of falling into poverty.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk