Green parties in the European Union have lost significant ground in the latest elections, prompting concerns about the future of the Green Deal and climate policies.
In short:
- Green parties dropped from fourth to sixth place in the European Parliament, with their vote share nearly halved in Germany.
- The Greens saw smaller victories in Denmark and Sweden but managed to secure a coalition victory in the Netherlands.
- The decline in Green votes is attributed to shifting voter concerns towards war and economic issues.
Key quote:
“This election will not make the climate and nature crisis any less existential. Flooding, droughts and heatwaves will only get worse – and all newly elected politicians will have to act to maintain our planet’s ability to sustain life and give our children a future.”
— Ariadna Rodrigo, campaigner at Greenpeace EU
Why this matters:
These results suggest a potential weakening of climate ambitions in the EU, which could hinder progress on environmental policies affecting global health and sustainability. Read more: The chemical industry may have killed a landmark EU chemical policy. Here’s what that means for the US.
