One of the world's largest elections, the European Parliament election, has seen over 370 million eligible voters casting their ballots across 27 countries. The results indicate a significant shift, with far-right parties projected to secure a record number of seats. The mainstream centre-right European People's Party is expected to remain the largest group, with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen acknowledging the rise of extremes on both ends of the political spectrum.
While celebrations are underway for some parties, such as von der Leyen's, there are concerns about the implications of the far-right's increased influence. In France, the gains made by right-wing parties have prompted President Emmanuel Macron to dissolve parliament and call for snap elections. Similarly, Belgium's Prime Minister has announced his resignation following his party's defeat in both national and European parliamentary elections.
