The most important thing is that a pro-European majority emerged and laid the foundations for the further deepening of the European project – thanks to the European People's Party (EPP) as again largest group, a stable S&D and in spite of the losses of Liberals and Greens.
The democratic rules of the game require that the results of the elections be taken into account and that the future President of the European Commission should come from the Christian Democrat family.
Although the far right is making gains at the expense of Liberals and Greens, they are not as big as feared. However, movements within and towards the extreme right-wing groups are still to be expected and 45 new members have been elected who belong to national parties that do not yet belong to any of the groups in the European Parliament.
Even more than in the national Member States, the weight lies in Europe to provide solutions to the challenges we face.
Safeguarding and strengthening purchasing power, ensuring a competitive Europe and working towards its strategic autonomy and building a social Europe are the EU’s pillars.
Climate change, the need to green the economy, care for the environment, a new approach to using raw materials in a circular economy, economical energy consumption, global changes with an impact on new investments, all these issues are closely linked and have a direct impact on the world of work while we need to ensure a just, fair, sustainable and competitive transition. All this against the backdrop of a multipolar world and a digital environment that is strongly driven by AI and robotics. With wars in Ukraine and the Middle East on our borders.
For EZA, it is these issues that matter and must be at the heart of the policies of the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission…
…where workers are heard and given a place in the interests of all Europeans.
Luc van den Brande
EZA President