EU Welcomes New Conservative Parliament
After five days of voting, the European Union welcomes the new parliament, which has become more conservative compared to the previous composition. The European People’s Party (EPP) once again emerged victorious, gaining 186 seats, which is 10 more than in 2019. Their leader, Ursula von der Leyen, has a good chance of remaining at the helm of the European Commission for another five years.
Stability Amidst Change
«We will be a pillar of stability, rejecting extremes both from the left and the right,» she commented on the election results on Sunday, June 9.
Minor Changes in Brussels
Changes in Brussels are minor, but the EPP is likely to receive support from the centrist-liberal Renew party, which despite losing 23 seats, came in third with 79 mandates. On the other end of the political spectrum, socialists and democrats lost four seats, dropping to 135, while the Greens and Left also experienced a decrease in representation.
Rise of Nationalist Parties
Nationalist and far-right parties showed significant growth, garnering 25% of the votes across the EU. European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Identity and Democracy (ID) saw an increase in seats, though not enough for a radical change in the EU’s political course.
