The results of the European Parliament elections have sparked heated discussions worldwide, including in the Western Balkans. “… there are fears that the shift to the far right in several key countries may frighten the center from taking decisive steps on enlargement…”, writes Agon Maliqi (a member of the ICDR from Kosovo) in his comment on the European Parliament elections, “The incoming European Parliament is more fragmented and polarized,“ thinks Natalia Stercul (a member of the ICDR from Moldova).
Agon Maliqi
Member of the ICDR, political analyst, co-founder of Sbunker, Kosovo
”The results of the EU elections are viewed in the Western Balkans mostly from the prism of how they may impact enlargement policy and the stringency of EU conditionality. While the ability of centrist parties to hold their ground and create a majority for the new EU institutions is viewed positively, there are fears that the shift to the far right in several key countries may frighten the center from taking decisive steps on enlargement, may deprioritize enlargement in internal EU bargaining, or may reduce the stringency of rule of law conditionality for increasingly authoritarian countries like Serbia. An additional level of concern is related to the impact that the rise of the far right will have on upcoming national elections, because it is at the level of the Council and the veto powers of member states where the Western Balkans have faced the most obstacles. Overall, the result of the elections produced more questions than answers and EU-watchers in the region are eagerly waiting to see key Commission appointments, particularly the enlargement portfolio and the EEAS. There is a broad preference to see appointments in such positions as coming from countries that take on a more value-based approach (i.e. not Hungary), which do not have a bilateral dispute with any of the region’s countries, and which do not come from the small minority of EU countries that don’t recognize the independence of Kosovo.”
Natalia Stercul
Member of the ICDR, Foreign Policy Association of the Republic of Moldova
”The results of the European Parliament elections have sparked heated discussions worldwide. Although the balance of power in the parliament remains unchanged, the shift in public sentiment towards the right is a significant signal for European governments. The 2024 elections have not only been deemed one of the largest democratic exercises, but also a truly historic event that is expected to usher in radical changes in Europe. The incoming European Parliament is more fragmented and polarized. Europe-wide issues such as immigration, climate change action, energy prices, economic woes, and military assistance to Ukraine also played a role in these elections. More serious attention will be paid to the question of how to increase Europe’s sluggish economic growth and make it a more attractive destination for investment.
The majority in the European Parliament will remain pro-Ukrainian, ensuring that support for Ukraine will be maintained and there will be no changes in the EU's stance towards Russia. For Moldova, the EU will continue to support its European integration efforts – this is an opportunity to complete reforms and advance along the European path, ultimately consolidating its civilizational alignment. The activity of citizens who participated in the elections to the European Parliament is quite high, which is a good indicator of the progress of democratic processes in Moldova. The votes cast by Moldovans with Romanian citizenship account for about 25% of the total number of votes registered in the diaspora – 216,000 votes in total.”
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