The results of the European elections this Sunday are a sign of hope in a continent that has been submerged in multiple crises over the past decade, and that is in desperate need of some good news.
They were the most important European elections since the first took place in 1979, and have acted as a front against the threat of a growing hard right, disruptive nationalisms, and issues such as Brexit that question the stability of the European Union.
The new European Parliament reflects the political fragmentation existent in its member countries, given that the conservative and social democrat parties who have dominated the parliament since its inception lost their monopoly. This has made way for forces such as the liberals, the greens, and a populist hard right to make their mark on the parliament in a meaningful way.
The crisis caused by Brexit, which has been now posponed until the 31st of October, meant that a divided UK was forced to participate in the elections much to the frustration of many citizens and to the delight of many others.
This so called 'second proxy referendum' over the exit of Britain from the EU has done little to clear up matters, and the resignation of Theresa May on voting day creates more uncertainty as to whether an orderly exit, or any kind of exit, is even possible.
The new Brexit Party of Nigel Farage, a far-right anti-EU formation came out on top with 30.8% of the votes, but the liberales and greens, clearly pro-European forces, gained a total of 31.6%, whilst the Tories and Labour suffered significant losses.
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