Who Should Be Concerned About Far-Right Parties Making Gains in the EU Elections?

EU citizens in 27 countries voted in the European Parliament elections on Sunday. The latest results show that far-right parties have made significant gains, although not enough to take over the parliament itself. But their strong performance was a wakeup call for many European leaders. Survey results show the top issues for voters were the economy, international conflicts and migration In France, Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally claimed victory with over 30 percent of the vote, more than double than the centrist Renaissance Party. In response, French President Emmanuel Macron dissolved parliament and called for snap elections. And in Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats lost out to the far-right AfD party, which is not currently part of any larger group in the European parliament. One of the biggest winners of the night was Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose right-wing party finished with nearly 30 percent of the vote. The European Parliament holds its elections every five years and approves EU laws and international treaties, and will have major sway over issues like migration. Strait Talk, hosted by Ayse Suberker, is TRT World’s programme that features in-depth analysis of Türkiye’s role in the world. Guests: Valeria Giannotta CeSPI Scientific Director of the Observatory on Türkiye Aylin Unver Noi Professor at Halic University