Europe’s far right won ground in the EU elections. Can they unite to wield power?
The next European Parliament will have more hard-right members than ever before, occupying close to a quarter of the 720 seats
BRUSSELS (AP) — The next European Parliament will have more hard-right members than ever before, occupying close to a quarter of the 720 seats. But they will have to overcome differences if they want to maximize their influence on the EU policies that roil their constituents: migration, climate rules and farming.
The loose centrist coalition that has controlled the European Union’s only directly elected body for decades maintained a narrow majority in last week's voting. But stunning results by far-right parties in France, Germany and beyond have jolted the bloc, which was founded after the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Parties such as France’s National Rally, the Brothers of Italy, and Alternative for Germany (AfD) must work together to have a significant impact on EU policy.
Their members are currently spread across different groups in the European Parliament: the nationalist European Conservatives and Reformists, the Identity and Democracy Group — home to the most hard-right factions — plus a large number of unaligned parties.
