Far-right parties could undermine democratic values of EU if elected to its parliament
People walk under a banner advertising the European elections outside the European Parliament in Brussels, Jan. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
DATE OF ELECTION
June 6-9
TYPE OF ELECTION
Parliamentary
WHO’S RUNNING
Tens of thousands of candidates from across the 27 EU member nations are running to serve in the 705-seat European Parliament. Candidates run on party lists, with parties including Viktor Orban’s nationalist Fidesz in Hungary; Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally in France; Germany’s Greens; Ireland’s Sinn Fein; Greek anti-capitalists, and many others in between. Candidates include those who have strongly supported Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, as well as some pro-Kremlin voices. Candidates represent a range of views on the Middle East and Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
WHY IT MATTERS TO THE WORLD
The European Parliament is the only publicly elected body in the European Union. The EU was created after World War II to foster peace, and now has 450 million people and the world’s second-largest economy. The Parliament plays an increasingly improtant role in European legislation with global impact, including EU climate standards, the GDPR online privacy law and regulation of AI and tech giants. The European Parliament also is involved in wartime financing for Ukraine, as well as aid to Palestinians. Immigration is a big voter concern today. Far-right parties and their discourse are expected to weigh heavily on election campaigning. Some of these groups are threatening the democratic values that underpin European unity and the EU itself.
For more on the global elections, click here
To see how other 2024 elections could affect the world, click here