Five Things We Learned From the European Elections

With final votes being counted, and results all but clear, the European elections are now behind us. Here’s five key things we learned:

1. More people are voting.

Prior to tonight, participation in E.U elections had been falling steadily since the first European vote in 1979. Not this time. Turnout in 2019 jumped above 50.5% — the highest figure since 1989 — as voters across Europe ran to the polls to voice their frustrations and hopes in large numbers. In some places, like Poland, turnout almost doubled (45%) in comparison to 2014 (24%). It is tempting to view higher participation as a positive thing. And it largely is. But does that mean more voters care about ‘Europe’? Not necessarily, as most campaigns focused heavily on strictly national issues: In Austria, the campaign centered around a corruption scandal involving the far-right. In France, Marine Le Pen warned voters that a Macron victory would result in ‘revenge’ against the Yellow vests. In Poland, the vote essentially became a final rehearsal before hugely significant parliamentary elections in the fall.

2. Mainstream parties are losing, but not everywhere.

In place likes Germany, France and Britain, electoral preferences are shifting away from the center — which by definition favors the extremes, new parties and…