Seldom had an election to the European Parliament been the focus of such widespread attention. The 2024 vote was simply different – commentators had warned ahead of the four days of voting according to national traditions that far-right political parties might win big time . However, as we know by now, they did not gain a majority, which written with all modesty was never really on the cards anyway.
But nevertheless – we are faced with a shocking reality: One in every four European voters ticked a far-right party box on the ballot paper. To be more precise: The far-right movement came out on top in three countries, France, Italy and Austria. In two further nations, they managed to reach the runners-up positions, namely Germany and the Netherlands.
Although starting as individual nation-state-based political candidates once elected, they come together under the umbrella of transnational groupings. In the case of far-right tendencies, we shall witness the European Conservatives and Reformists holding 73 seats, the grouping labeled Identity and Democracy 58, and non-attached deputies including the German Alternative for Germany (AfD) politicians 45 seats. Taken together this adds up to 176 members of parliament (MEP).
Percentage-wise we then realize that just under a quarter of the entire electorate voted far-right – while some may say a remarkable success story (of course only if you sympathize with far-right notions), others rather ring the alarm bells and argue what an .
