Anna Hartz
There Is a Right-Wing Surge Across Europe, According to Politico Analysis
Sunday’s elections in Romania, Poland, and Portugal looked like a win for the political center.
But things are more complicated than that. While centrist candidates won key races, far-right parties are still gaining strength, Politico reports.
In some places, they’re just one step away from power. This shows a deeper shift in European politics.
In Romania, Nicușor Dan, a centrist and independent, won the presidency. He beat far-right leader George Simion in the second round of voting.
Dan is pro-European and wants reforms. He got strong support from young people, the Romanian diaspora, and ethnic minorities.
Simion had led in the first round. But a big jump in turnout helped Dan come back.
Around 65% of voters showed up for the second round. That was the highest participation since 1996.
Dan’s victory followed a tense political period. A previous election was canceled after ultranationalist Călin Georgescu won, raising concerns about Russian influence.
Simion’s campaign pushed a similar nationalist message. He even suggested reducing aid to Ukraine.
That raised alarms in Brussels and Washington. Even though he lost, Simion’s growing support shows that many Romanians are turning toward the far right.
In Poland, liberal mayor Rafał Trzaskowski won the first round of the presidential vote.
He came just two points ahead of his right-wing opponent, Karol Nawrocki. Trzaskowski was expected to win by more.
Far-right candidates also did well. Sławomir Mentzen and Grzegorz Braun together won over 20% of the vote. Their supporters will now play a big role in the second round.
In Portugal, the far-right Chega party made big gains. It matched the Socialist Party in size and became the second-largest group in Parliament.
Chega used public anger at traditional parties to build support. It now has 58 seats and may win more when votes from abroad are counted.
Chega’s success worries many, especially ahead of local elections this fall.
So yes, centrists won this time. But the far right is far from losing.