European Elections 2024: Key Insights and Voter Trends
The voting patterns among French expatriates during the latest European elections revealed stark differences compared to domestic results. With a participation rate of just 17.35%, French citizens living abroad exhibited distinctive preferences, diverging from the national trend where the National Rally (RN) led by Jordan Bardella secured a substantial lead. Notably, Valérie Hayer, heading the presidential majority list, claimed the top spot with 21.99% of the votes cast by overseas French voters.
In various European cities, Valérie Hayer, followed closely by Raphaël Glucksmann from the Socialist Party-Place Publique, dominated the polls. In Geneva, which hosts the largest French community outside France, 22.31% of the votes favored Hayer. Similarly, in London and Brussels, Hayer and Glucksmann secured the first and second positions, respectively. Contrasted results were observed in Montreal, where Glucksmann and Manon Aubry took the lead, while in Tel Aviv, Marion Maréchal Le Pen, of Reconquest, dominated.
As the 2024 European elections approach, anticipation is building around voter turnout and election outcomes across the EU. Germany, with a significant voter base, saw a higher turnout in 2019 than the European average. This year, a pan-European shift towards the right is anticipated, especially with the growing support for the AfD. Pre-election demonstrations against right-wing extremism underline the contentious atmosphere as tens of thousands of Germans protest for democracy.
Preliminary results and projections for the upcoming elections foresee the European People's Party (EPP) maintaining its majority within the EU Parliament, potentially securing 173 out of 720 seats. The Social Democrats (S&D), Liberals, far-right European Conservatives and Reformers (ECR), and Identity and Democracy (ID) groups are expected to follow. In Germany, the CDU and CSU aim for a strong show, with forecasts predicting nearly 30% of the votes.
The election eve promises high tension as initial forecasts roll out. From 8:15 p.m. onwards, the EU Parliament will provide an overview of projections based on national surveys, with the first comprehensive EU-wide predictions expected around 11 p.m. Experts will closely monitor the results to assess whether the feared rightward shift materializes, alongside the performances of newer political alliances like the Sahra Wagenknecht group.
- In Germany, 34 parties are competing for seats in the 2024 European elections. This significant political event will see 65 million eligible German citizens casting their votes on June 9th. Forecasts indicate a probable triumph for the CDU/CSU, with key parties like the AfD, SPD, and Greens vying for the second spot with roughly 15% of the votes each.
- The European Parliament elections take place every five years, with the last conducted in 2019. It stands as the only transnational institution globally to be directly elected, empowering MEPs to enact laws impacting all EU citizens. The upcoming election results are pivotal as they will determine the balance of power within the EU Parliament and the implementation of future EU policies.
