The Green parties lost a third of their seats in the European Parliament, raising questions about the future of Europe's climate movement.
Matina Stevis-Gridneff reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- The Greens' decline is attributed to shifting voter priorities amid the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis.
- Centrist and right-wing parties have absorbed or attacked the Green agenda, portraying it as elitist and out of touch.
- Despite setbacks, the Greens found success in Nordic and some Southern European countries, indicating potential for future coalitions.
Key quote:
“They portray this transition as a very elitist transition, that it’s only for the ‘Tesla people. And I can tell you, Tesla does not have a good image anymore.”
— Bas Eickhout, European Greens’ vice president
Why this matters:
The decline of Green parties could slow progress on climate policies in Europe, affecting global efforts to combat climate change and potentially increasing socio-economic disparities. Read more: The chemical industry may have killed a landmark EU chemical policy. Here’s what that means for the US.
