June 05, 2019
Why the fragmentation of European politics could bode poorly for democracy
Reaching consensus in the new E.U. Parliament just got harder.
After last week’s elections, the European Parliament is more fragmented than ever — growing discontent with the mainstream meant that centrist and mainstream parties took a beating. For the first time in 40 years, the center-right and the center-left will no longer control a majority of the European Parliament, and power will be spread over eight party groupings rather than seven in the last parliament. Although the far right did well, so too did the liberals and Greens.
This mirrors the fragmentation that has been happening in national European parliaments. Across the continent, political party systems are splintering. Some of this reflects the resurgence of existing parties. Support for the Greens, for example, has risen in recent years. But much of the fragmentation has been the result of the emergence of new political parties. Since 2000, 94 new parties have won seats in national legislatures in Europe.
Read the full article in The Washington Post.
More from CNAS
-
Celeste Wallander on Ukraine
Podcast
Celeste Wallander, President and CEO of the U.S. Russia Foundation, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss Russian operations in Ukraine and the U.S. response...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend & Celeste Wallander
-
NATO Is Struggling Under Trans-Atlantic Tensions
Commentary
NATO leaders gathered in London this week for a brief summit marking the alliance’s 70th anniversary. The trans-Atlantic community looked on with trepidation—not because there...
By Jim Townsend & Andrea Kendall-Taylor
-
Josh Shifrinson and Jim Goldgeier Discuss NATO Expansion
Podcast
Jim Goldgeier, Professor of International Relations at American University, and Josh Shifrinson, Professor of International Relations at Boston University, join Andrea Kendall...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, James Goldgeier & Joshua R. Itzkowitz Shifrinson
-
Moscow, Beijing, and the Future of Russia-China Relations with Dmitri Trenin
Podcast
In a period of such rapid global change, how does the Kremlin view China? Dmitri Trenin, Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, joins Andrea Kendall-Taylor to discuss Russian...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Dmitri Trenin
