The 2024 European elections have marked a significant shift in Germany's political landscape. With around 66 million eligible voters, the elections recorded a variety of outcomes for different parties. Projections suggest that the CDU/CSU emerged as the predominant force with around 30% of the votes, securing approximately 30 seats in the EU Parliament. This result underscores the strong position of the conservative bloc in German politics.
The far-right AfD has made notable gains, securing 16% of the votes and becoming the second strongest force in this election. This increase from the previous election has raised concerns about the rise of right-wing movements in Germany. The SPD, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, suffered a defeat, obtaining only 14% of the votes and losing seats, reflecting a significant setback for the Social Democrats.
The Greens, who previously enjoyed substantial support, saw their vote share decline to 12%, leading to a considerable loss of seats. This decrease highlights the evolving landscape where environmental issues might have taken a backseat in voters' priorities. The liberal FDP also faced losses, receiving only 5% of the votes.
Apart from Germany, the elections also indicated significant trends in other EU countries. In Austria, the nationalist right-wing FPÖ emerged as the leading party with 27% of the votes. This is a historic moment as it marks the first time FPÖ has become the most important political force in the country. The conservative ÖVP and social democrats SPÖ followed closely.
In Greece, the right-wing party led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis topped the polls, securing between 28% and 32% of the vote. This was followed by the left-wing Syriza party, led by Stefanos Kasselakis, which garnered 15.2% to 18.2%. The socialist party Pasok and the nationalist Eleniki Lysi also garnered significant shares.
These elections have also seen a notable increase in voter registrations in various regions. For instance, new registrations in Yvelines saw a 3.5% increase compared to the 2019 European elections. This rise, however, cannot be solely attributed to increased enthusiasm for the European elections but also factors like automatic registration upon reaching majority, change of address, and naturalization.
- The voter turnout in Germany by 2 p.m. on election day was reported to be 32.3%, not including postal votes. In comparison, the overall voter turnout in the 2019 European elections was 61.4%.
- In Yvelines, towns like Chesnay-Rocquencourt and Versailles have seen a surge in new voter registrations. The town of Chesnay recorded a net positive balance of 600 new registrants, attributed to reasons beyond just change of address. Versailles saw an increase in proxy requests, indicating a higher voter engagement.
- The first forecasts and projections of the election results in Germany were eagerly awaited, with initial figures being released shortly after the polling stations closed at 6 p.m.
