EU Vote: Centrists prevail despite rightward shift

In the EU elections, the centrist coalition in the EU Parliament maintains its majority even as the electorate shifts rightward. Preliminary results show the EPP group leading with 189 seats, followed by the socialist group with 135 seats, and the liberal Renew group with 83 seats, despite Renew experiencing a decline from the previous election. Together, these three groups are poised to hold over 407 seats, surpassing the 361-seat majority threshold in the expanded 720-seat Parliament. Ursula von der Leyen highlights a strong mandate for a united Europe while also noting the gains of far-left and far-right extremes, signalling a significant task ahead for centrists. The election also poses challenges to Leyen and the EPP’s Manfraed Weber in maintaining a cohesive majority and deciding on potential coalitions, especially concerning engagement with the right-wing ECR group.