Explaining the EP election results: Spain
Spain’s two-party system gets a warning and populists join the fray
Cohesion & Governance
Explaining the EP election results: Germany
Merkel’s party comes out on top, and Germany’s first Eurosceptic party will be sending delegates to the EP
Explaining the EP election results: France
The French turn out in droves, the Eurosceptic Front National wins
What to watch for on election night: A 3-point guide
ECFR's explainer on the European Parliament elections
The Eurosceptic surge and how to respond to it
Pro-Europeans should create space for battles between competing visions of Europe
14 Apr
The Eurosceptic surge and how to respond to it
Presentation of “The Eurosceptic surge and how to respond to it”, by Mark Leonard and José Ignacio Torreblanca
Britain’s Bulgaria-Romania phobia
The panic in Britain over prospective Bulgarian and Romanian immigration is based on a misunderstanding of European rules. It is also at odds with the country's best traditions.
Europe’s self-hating parliament
The Eurosceptics do not support the existence of the EU and by extension they oppose the European Parliament, into which they are seeking election. If, as polls predict, Eurosceptics emerge with strong support, we may see a “self-hating Parliament” that ultimately wants to secure its own abolition.
Does more Merkel mean less Europe?
If Angela Merkel’s astounding electoral success is owed to her synchrony with the average German, then there is every reason to suspect that the new government will not deviate much from the preferences of the median German voter
Merkel’s anti-mandate
This election shows how much Merkel’s pragmatism has sucked the life out of national politics. The result of her victory could be to suck it out of European politics next. Her politics of “small steps” will rule out decisive moves on banking union or debt.