Europe has awakened from its utopian daydream. For decades, a progressive status quo has attempted to steer the EU toward a prosperous future, but the horizon dawns no such promise. As citizens begin to realize the effects of these policies, they are flocking to the opposition in droves.
Explaining the EU Parliament and Recent Elections
During the recent elections of the European Union's parliament, the legislative body of the EU, the right wing made unprecedented gains. This wave of right-wing populism can be attributed to public concerns over the economy, the effects of immigration, the decline of European cultural identity and the rise of militarism; all of which have driven Europeans toward parties promising an alternative future.
Every EU nation holds elections in which the citizens elect their party of choice and that party is proportionally represented within the given nation's seats in parliament; seats that are roughly distributed according to national populations.
This legislative body is responsible for the decisions made regarding the Union’s collective policies, most importantly economic regulations, democratic integrity, immigration mandates, as well as social and humanitarian concerns.
After decades of progressive center-left dominance of the EU and consequently its policies, change is in the air. This rightward shift is largely driven by the political effects of state-subsidized mass immigration, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. This perfect storm has destabilized the status quo of the EU. Citizens across Europe have become more accepting of nationalism and largely disapprove of the way the EU policies have dealt with this onslaught of social problems.
Rise of the Right
Right-wing parties' major gains across the EU will have lasting impacts on European politics. The old right or the center-right was nearly homogeneous with the long-time leftist establishment, only deviating on niche economic matters. The center-right was a weak and ineffective opposition, especially regarding immigration. The new right has usurped the European opposition with great vigor and political energy, replacing the husk of ineffective conservative centrism.
Immigration
The new batch of EU lawmakers will likely stringently oppose migration, as citizens have become disillusioned with the effects of the constant flow of third-world nationals into Europe. Millions of migrants have heavily burdened the economies and societies of Europe. A recent poll shows that 71% of Europeans feel their nations take in too many migrants. This unmitigated stream of migrants brings drastic shifts in national demographics, ushering in an accelerated change in European society and culture with a myriad of externalities.
An example of such an externality can be observed at the Islamist rally held in Hamburg in early May, in which more than 1000 protesters chanted “a caliphate is the solution.” It is safe to say they are not keen on assimilating–the Germans have noticed. Even former conservative centrist Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, who oversaw much of this immigration, said multiculturalism “has utterly failed.”
Economy
The right’s ascendancy in parliament will very likely result in the reduction of green legislation. The right-wing parties largely perceive the EU’s climate law as both detrimental to their national economies and an abuse of the power the EU possesses. The right will look to allow national industries to prosper without the hindrance of internationalist green movements. These organizations have long been humorously labeled as watermelons, environmental green on the outside, communist red on the inside.
War in Ukraine
Another major change in parliament will be the resistance to continued support for the war in Ukraine. The economic leader of the EU, Germany, finds its greatest economic partner in the Russian Federation. Generally, pacifist center-left leaders of the EU have suddenly become fiercely militant Russophobes, sending full percentage points of their GDPs into the fog of a foreign war. Many Europeans are displeased at the thought of rearming for a confrontation with Russia. More than 50% of Europeans don't consider support for Ukraine a priority.
European Horizons
The right and or populist parties lead Hungary, Slovakia and Italy and compose the coalitions of others including Sweden, Finland and, soon, the Netherlands. France is likely to go right in the next national election and Germany and Belgium have surging right-wing populist movements, especially among the youth.
The spread of nationalism and euroscepticism among the European middle-class youth indicates a failure by the progressive establishment. Europeans were not fed this sentiment, the media in Europe is as leftist-controlled as it is in the U.S., if anything they are dissuaded from right-wing populist positions; often being rhetorically demeaned by heads of state and media alike. EU citizens have come to these conclusions based on their experiences in the last five years, despite being hammered with progressive propaganda.
Trust in the EU is fading, nationalism is rising. The ascendant right simply wants Germany to remain German, France to remain French, and Europe to remain European, just as leftists are pleading for their beloved Ukraine to remain Ukrainian.
Acknowledgment: The opinions expressed in this piece are those of the individual author.