June 11th 2024.
In the recent European Parliament elections, the far-right party led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has gained significant support, solidifying its position in the country's political landscape. However, the main opposition party in Italy has also made gains, making the election results a closely watched event.
Meloni's party, the Brothers of Italy, secured 28.8% of the votes, securing 24 out of Italy's 76 seats in the legislative body. This is a remarkable increase from the party's 6.4% share of votes in the last European Parliament vote in 2019, and an improvement from the 26% it earned in the 2022 national election, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
But the Democratic Party, the main opposition party in Italy, also saw a rise in its vote share, earning 24.1% and 20 seats. This is a stronger showing compared to the 22.7% of votes it received in 2019. According to Vincenzo Emanuele, a political scientist at Rome's LUISS University, this election highlights the growth of the major parties, setting them apart from smaller factions.
Although the results of this election do not directly impact the Italian Parliament or Meloni's government, they serve as a measure of support for the country's political parties. Meloni has expressed her satisfaction with the results, stating that it strengthens Italy's influence within the EU and on the global stage. She also noted that Italy currently holds the presidency of the G7, making it one of the most influential governments in the group.
In contrast, other European countries such as France and Germany saw a decline in support for their ruling coalitions in the European Parliament vote. In Italy, it was the second-tier parties that suffered losses. The League, an anti-migrant party, saw a significant drop in its vote share, falling from 34.3% in 2019 to only 9%. Similarly, the Five-Star Movement, led by former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, also experienced a decline in its vote share, dropping from 17.1% in the last European Parliament elections to 10%.
One notable aspect of this year's election was the low voter turnout, with only 49.7% of eligible voters participating. This marks the first time in Italy's history that less than half of eligible voters have cast their ballots in a European Parliament election. In comparison, the turnout was 54.5% in 2019.
The results of the election were widely covered by the Italian media, with headlines in major newspapers such as Le Repubblica calling it both "historic" and "predictable". The state broadcaster RAI also highlighted the shift towards right-wing nationalist parties in Europe, stating that "Europe is moving to the right". With 76 seats, Italy will have the third-largest representation in the European Parliament, behind only Germany and France, both of which also saw a rise in support for right-wing parties in this election.
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