ČT24 | European Parliament elections begin

Do the elections across European countries have a common theme? If far-right parties succeed, can they unite? How can the problem of long-term low voter turnout in European elections be explained? Is this trend only in Central Europe? Can candidates for the European Parliament really deliver on what they promise? What happens immediately after the elections? Žiga Faktor, Deputy Director and Head of the Brussels Office of EUROPEUM Institute, answered these and other questions.

It's difficult to identify it with just one theme, but there is certainly some continuity. If I had to point to something that is being discussed across Europe, it's the question of whether, following the election results where a repeat of the 2019 outcomes is expected, meaning a victory for the European People's Party, we will witness a second mandate for Ursula von der Leyen. This is perhaps one common thread, but then it can be divided into several themes that have been the main drivers of political debates. Of course, regionally, the perception of themes across Europe varies. If I had to summarize one common point, it is the person of Ursula von der Leyen.

You can watch the entire interview here from the 18th minute.

Žiga Faktor
Deputy Director & Head of Brussels Office

Expertise: European integration of Western Balkans, EU enlargement, Slovenian Politics and EU-Turkey relations