49 Populist-related parties or coalitions set to take third of European Parliament seats
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Around a third of the seats in the next European Parliament could be taken by candidates from populist parties or coalitions if elections were held this week, Sky News analysis has found.
There are likely to be 49 populist-related parties or coalitions elected to the next European Parliament. Half of those are on the far-right of the political spectrum; around one-fifth are on the far-left. The rest use populist rhetoric, but do not conform to the traditional left/right split.
If confirmed at the 23-26 May polling, such a result could have profound implications for the European project – as well as for the negotiations on the UK’s departure and future trade deal with the bloc.
Projections of a populist wave across Europe may also alarm those who view Donald Trump’s-style of appealing directly to his supporters, over and above anyone else, as potentially harmful to democracy.
Experts, quoted by Sky say populists advocate that society is ultimately separated into two groups – the people and the elite, and the point of politics is to follow the will of the people.
Italy is set to be the largest contributor to the wave, with 61 of its 76 European Parliament (EP) seats projected to be taken by populists.
The Polish Law and Justice party (PiS) will have the third largest number in the EP with 20 seats.
Hungary is likely to see three quarters of its seats held by populist parties, with the far-right Fidesz, led by Viktor Orban, expected to win 16 of the country’s 21 positions in the European Parliament.
Despite a record number of seats being taken by populist parties, not all are doing better than they did in the previous election in 2014. Some have seen dramatic rises in their support; others have flatlined; others have actually lost support.
Italy’s anti-immigration League is the biggest winner, with its support up 27 points since 2014.
Slovenia’s List Of Marjan Sarec, which is allied to the EP’s liberal group, is up 26 points up from the last election and the Czech Republic’s ANO 2011 has increased by 15 points since the last EU vote.
Fidesz and Law and Justice (PiS) have seen their support remain high but level out.
France’s National Rally (RN), which used to be called the National Front and is led by Marine Le Pen, is predicted to have 19 seats.
The UK won’t take part in the European election, unless Brexit is further delayed. In that case, Nigel Farage – whose UKIP party won the 2014 vote – has suggested he will lead his new Brexit Party.
