EU parliament elections show big gains for euro-skeptic and green parties.

Deputy Prime Minster Matteo Salvini casts his vote. AP.

EU Parliament elections show big gains for euro-skeptic and green parties with losses for more centrist parties. AP. Turnout was up with almost 50% of eligible voters participating in the election. Many countries saw gains for anti-EU parties. In the UK, the number one party was the Brexit Party, which would lose their seats if Brexit eventually happens. In France Marine La Pen's National Rally Party won the most seats in a major rebuke to Emmanuel Macron. In Germany Merkel's coalition partners lost seats while Greens gained many seats with the far right gaining some as well. In Italy Matteo Salvini's anti-EU Leauge won and is now the largest party in Italy. And in Hungry, Prime Minster Victor Orban's party gained a seat. However, pro EU parties are expected to keep much of their power, but new coalition members will be needed for the ruling EPP and S&D parties. 

My Comment:

Most international media is downplaying the major victories that right wing and euro-skeptic parties have gotten in this election and are overplaying the victories of the green parties. To be sure, the Greens did good but they aren't the big story in this election. The right wing parties pretty much dominated many countries and had decent gains in others. Italy, France and the UK were dominated by euro-skeptic parties. 

I will say that it looks like the people of Europe are starting to get sick of the EU, or at least the way the block is going. Obviously the right wingers voting for anti-EU parties is a pretty big symptom of that, but I would say the Greens winning as well is a proof that the status quo isn't popular. I'd say that choosing the Greens would be a mistake as well, but at the very least they want to do things differently than the status quo. 

I do find it fairly funny that the Brexit party did so well in the UK when it seems as though the Brexit drama will never end. Even with Theresa May gone it seems as though Brexit will never happen. And if it does the members elected to the EU Parliament will obviously be kicked out. It will be pretty funny for these members to be sitting while waiting for Brexit to happen. 

The French results are especially telling. People are tired of Emmanuel Macron's centrism and want something different. Voting for Marine La Pen's party is a pretty huge middle finger to Macron and given her father's supposed ties to racism it's a fairly stunning rebuke. I wouldn't be surprised if Macron is gone after France's next national elections...

I do have to wonder who are the people still voting for the establishment in Europe. Given the massive problems the EU is having with immigration and terrorism, I can't imagine anyone voting for a party that supports unlimited immigration. But these parties were not wiped out by the euro-skeptic parties. 

I'm far from an expert on European politics though and much of what goes on there is a mystery to me. It seems crazy to me that the right wing parties didn't win more even if they did have a historic victory. How anyone could support the EU at this point after the massive terror attacks, rape gangs and general chaos the migrant crisis has caused is beyond me.