European polls dents German leader's authority

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni will welcome the Gz summit fortified by the election that shook French, German leaders

Dismal results for Germany’s governing parties in the European Parliament election have dented Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s authority and could prompt even more of the infighting that just cost the government dearly.

A clear win for Germany’s mainstream conservative opposition boosts its confidence as the country begins to look ahead to a national election expected in the fall of 2025, but raises questions about why it isn’t benefiting more from the unpopularity of Scholz’s government.

And a second-place finish for the far-right Alternative for Germany, despite scandals and setbacks, underlines its enduring appeal to many unsettled voters and its strength in the formerly communist east — where it emerged as the strongest party and hopes to win three state elections in September.

The defeat of the three parties in Scholz’s unpopular coalition “really wasn’t surprising, but the level they’ve dropped to is quite shocking for a governing coalition,” said Andrea Rommele, a political science professor at the Hertie School in Berlin.