| Left and Liberal = 362 (slight increase 358⇒362) Unknowns = 38 (increase 21⇒38) Centre-wrong = 180 (decrease 217⇒180) Wrong = 59 (decrease 76⇒59) Far-wrong = 112 (increase 78⇒112)  |
| Geographic distribution of wrong versus liberal in 2019 |
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48417191 .
Sure, the Populists Gained, but the Real Winners May Be for Europe
The results this week of the European Parliament elections were a humiliating blow at home to President Emmanuel Macron of France, as his party finished second to the far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen.
But in the Parliament itself, his party could be the kingmaker because there will be no working majority without it.
That gives Mr. Macron, who has been the biggest booster among European leaders of deeper integration between European Union members, an opportunity to push through change — and to counter the populist and nationalist right.
Mr. Macron’s party — which did not even exist in the last European elections in 2014 — together with a group of liberal parties can create a sustainable working majority of pro-European parties.
These parties, and in particular the Green Party, which did especially well with young voters worried about climate change, have made clear they intend to use their new position to effect change in both who runs the European Union and its policies.
The new majority will also be able to stand up to, and potentially block, the more emboldened populist and nationalist right, which increased its share as a group by five percentage points and now holds about 25 percent of seats.
Altogether, the pro-European parties, along with the Greens, will control 502 of the 751 seats, limiting the power of the populists to gum up the system, and providing leverage for Mr. Macron and his allies in their desire to shake Europe to embrace a different future.
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