Far-right parties are expected to do well and could gain a stronger foothold in the European Parliament. Elections are set to take place across the European Union from June 6 to June 9, in a vote likely to have significant consequences for the 27-member bloc’s policies. Almost 370 million Europeans will elect members of the European Parliament, the only directly elected institution of the EU which has the power to block legislation.
Keep reading It’s the second largest democratic electorate in the world – after India, which just concluded its national election. The vote, held every five years, is expected to strengthen far-right parties amid a rise in discontent for the mainstream centrist bloc, with implications for issues ranging from climate change and migration to foreign policy and social rights. Here is what you should know about the EU vote and what is at stake.
How do European elections work? Voters will express their preference for national political parties in a manner not dissimilar to a national vote. Once they are elected, most of the politicians then join European transnational political groups according to political orientation and ideology. The two largest European parliamentary groups have historically been the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) and the centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D).
The liberals, represented in the Renew Europe (RE) group, and The Greens have also been decisive in shaping majorities in the.
