Right-Wing Parties Dominate European Elections in France and Germany
In Eure-et-Loir, the National Rally (RN) led by Jordan Bardella dominated the European elections, securing 37.96% of the votes. The region, traditionally leaning to the right, saw Renaissance receiving only 14% of the votes, followed by the socialist left at 10.43%. The RN achieved unprecedented success in the main cities within the department. For example, in Chartres, RN took 22%, a historic first, while in Dreux the party garnered 24.59%, placing second behind La France Insoumise which had 37.77%.
Similarly, Thuringia in Germany witnessed a significant shift in political dynamics. After leading the European elections for 30 years, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was overtaken by the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which secured 31.4% of the votes compared to CDU's 23%. CDU leaders attribute their drop in votes to public dissatisfaction with the federal government’s coalition policies. Despite AfD's success, CDU candidates remain strong contenders in municipal runoff elections, potentially shifting power in Erfurt from SPD to CDU after 18 years.
In Eure-et-Loir’s four constituencies, the RN is set to influence upcoming legislative elections heavily. Guillaume Kasbarian, a Renaissance candidate, managed to secure a second position with 16.71% votes, but the RN led significantly with 31.54% in his constituency. Philippe Vigier's constituency saw an even higher RN lead with 44% votes. Overall, RN's performance has posed a challenge for other parties, including Renaissance and the Republicans.
Meanwhile, Thuringia’s CDU is hopeful in local elections despite their setback at the European level. The state will vote for a new parliament in September, with the AfD leading in polls with around 30% support. With high voter turnout and aggressive campaigning, both regions represent a significant right-wing surge in EU member states.
- Three of four outgoing deputies in Eure-et-Loir have already declared their candidacy for the legislative elections, which are scheduled from June 12 to 16. In 2022, these deputies collectively secured around 60% of the votes.
- In Thuringia, more than 1.7 million people were eligible to vote in the European elections, with a voter turnout of 59.5%. The state office for the Protection of the Constitution monitors the Thuringian AfD, classifying it as right-wing extremist.
