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The European elections held on June 8 and 9 confirmed the dominance of right-wing parties in the EU Parliament. Conservatives led in 14 member states, including Spain, Germany, and Poland. The Social Democrats found particular success in Portugal, Sweden, and Malta, and in coalition with the ecologists in Denmark and the Netherlands. These mixed results also gave the far right a historic advantage in five countries, including France and Italy.
In Spain, the People’s Party (34.2%) narrowly outperformed the Socialist PSOE (30.2%). They were followed by the far-right Vox (9.6%), the Ahora Republicas coalition (4.9%)—comprising the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), the Basque Left (Bildu), and the Galician Left (BNG)—and Sumar (4.7%), a member of Sánchez's government, in fifth place.
PSOE dethroned by PP in Spain
Mohamed Chaïb Akhdim, President of the Ibn Battuta Foundation in Spain, commented on the results, highlighting «the rise of two far-right parties, openly anti-migration and particularly anti-Muslim, alongside the disturbingly high overall abstention rate». A former Socialist member of the Catalan regional and Spanish national parliaments, he told Yabiladi, «This abstention is especially noticeable among our dual nationals eligible to vote, who were very few to take part in this election».
«We have 500,000 Spanish-Moroccans, who represent a significant electoral weight—greater than some parties that won seats—but few of them go to the polls during the European vote, as many don't feel concerned by this deadline», laments Mohamed Chaïb. However, he stresses, «The reality is that national policy decisions in Spain are intimately linked to and dependent on the political landscape of the European Union, hence the importance of expressing oneself through the vote, especially for binationals who must have a say in the policies that define their daily lives».
«It’s this mapping that emerges from the European ballot box that guides national sectoral policies on employment, education, integration, migration... If you don't make policy, someone else will do it for you».
For all these reasons, Chaïb believes, «We cannot remain on the sidelines of political life. It's also necessary to engage specifically with our binationals to promote their participation». «They form an important community in Spain, and their socio-economic contribution is undeniable, but the majority remain on the sidelines of political life and elective office», he laments.
According to Chaïb, «Even our competent national bodies in Morocco would benefit from addressing this issue, making them aware of the decisive dynamics that shape our present and future».
Social-Democrat coalition leads in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, following the November 2023 legislative elections, the social-democratic coalition with the ecologists (21.6%) took the lead over the far-right (17.7%). They were followed by the center-liberals (11.6%) and then the conservatives (9.7%). Nadia Bouras, a historian at Leiden University specialized in the history of Moroccan migration, told Yabiladi that the presence of immigrant candidates «encouraged binational voters to the polls».
She recalls that the social-democrat wing includes Mohamed Chahine, one of the country's best-known MPs of Moroccan origin. «His notoriety certainly made fellow citizens feel involved, prompting them to vote», she analyzes. «The fact that the coalition with the Greens came out on top is a real relief for us, with results differing from the recent legislative elections», Nadia Bouras points out. Despite the high abstention rate of around 46%, the turnout «had its impact and the Democrats recorded better results than five years ago».
The migration issue remained a main topic during the election campaign, following from the last legislative elections, which is still part of daily news in the Netherlands. «During this election, the far-right capitalized on this issue with resolutely hostile positions. A coalition government has been announced, and we'll see what the next few months bring», says Nadia Bouras.
«In any case, the Dutch results in the European elections represent a positive step forward, amidst a global trend confirming the rise of the right and extreme right in Europe. We need to ask ourselves what this means for our European values of democracy».
She points out that «centrist parties seem to be disappearing, adopting an extremist agenda, which strengthens the right by making it even more extreme». «In the long term, this is highly problematic, as this political trend is winning more and more seats because it knows how to mobilize its voters», worries Nadia Bouras. «It seems to me that the world is in the midst of a booming political era, characterized by genocide, a loss of democratic values, and a lack of respect for international law and universal standards», she adds.
Italy sinks with the far right
Two years after the September 2022 parliamentary elections, Italy's far right is also solidifying its position in the European political arena. Giorgia Meloni's party, Fratelli d'Italia, took 28.8% of the vote. They were followed by the Democratic Party (24.1%), the 5-Star Movement (10%), Forza Italia (9.6%), the League (9%), and the left-wing coalition with the Greens (6.8%).
Karima Moual, a journalist and editorialist with La Repubblica and La Stampa, told Yabiladi that the turnout of Moroccan voters was certainly substantial, «as they are one of the largest foreign-born communities among naturalized citizens with Italian citizenship and therefore entitled to vote». In Italy, «Moroccans have been active and involved in politics for some years now. We're seeing more and more faces of immigrant origin in political life, particularly on municipal councils», she points out.
«This year too, in various communes, there has been a good presence of young people who have integrated into various municipal councils. This data is very important, as it highlights the emergence of a conscious generation, passionate about the fate of its host country and actively involved in choosing who should govern it, particularly at the European level».
However, Moual believes that the Italian results of the European election are «no surprise», especially given Meloni's election in 2022. «The rise of the far right in Europe is a wave slowly crossing the continent, while in our country there is already a far-right government aiming to influence and change Europe with new alliances and strategies», she analyzes.
However, Moual points out, «In this electoral match, the gap between Meloni's party and the Democratic Party with Elly Schlein is only 4%», adding that Fratelli d'Italia «is losing a few points compared to two years ago, while the Democratic Party is gaining almost 5%». Additionally, «votes for another far-right party, Matteo Salvini's Lega, have halved—a great friend and ally of Marine Le Pen in France».
«Left-wing and moderate political forces will face a major challenge. They must play their cards well, but this will only be possible with a major truth operation and a radical change in strategy and old paradigms. In Europe, there is also a major generational shift. In Italy and even abroad, the Left has been overwhelmingly elected by young people between the ages of 19 and 30».
In this context, Moual notes, «another notable achievement by a more left-wing formation, namely the Italian Left», which doubled its results compared to previous European elections. For the journalist, «this means that not everything is definitive, especially as abstention in these elections was the highest ever: one in two Italians did not vote».
«Giorgia Meloni has softened her tone since assuming government responsibility, because the challenges she faces are great and primarily concern the economy», adds Karima Moual. She stresses that the decline of the ruling party is «a signal» that «voters are watching the Italian Prime Minister closely and are ready to hold her accountable».
