EU elections: Europe's night of election drama capped by Macron bombshell | BBC News

Exit polls had begun to roll in at the end of European elections across the EU’s 27 countries, when President Emmanuel Macron delivered his bombshell moment in a televised address to a stunned French population.

“I’ve decided to hand you back the choice of our parliamentary future with a vote. I am therefore dissolving the National Assembly,” he declared.

The National Rally party - led by Mr Macron's rivals Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella - was one of the big gains that Europe’s far-right parties had expected, and confirmation came with all the exit polls giving the party more than 30%, double that of Mr Macron’s centrist Renaissance.

But beyond France, the broader story of Europe's four-day vote marathon really belonged to the parties of the centre right.

They tightened their grip on the European Parliament, with victories in Germany and Spain, and significant advances in Hungary, against long-dominant Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

The far right did not enjoy as great a surge across Europe as many had predicted.

In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party came second, while Austria’s party of the same name came out as winners, but only narrowly.

#EU #EuropeanUnion #BBCNews

[TGIYJB]

keep calling normal people far right and you will lose bigger than ever

[ThatTallGuy]

Europeans are not voting for a party, we are voting on immigration. We are voting on what party we think will stop this unchecked invasion.

This is the immigration vote

[reevinator]

FAR right? Hmm what part of unbiased is that then?

[zsoltszabo]

I love the way the BBC tries to frame this as another case of "far right extremism", but there's nothing dictatorial about dissolving the whole parliament cause you lost.

[miagunt]

The BBC must be in melt down.
Absolutely hilarious as expected 😂
Far right? I call it common sense

[beaduc]

Just for the record, France voted NO in 2005 ..(A referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was held in France on 29 May 2005 to decide whether the French government should ratify the proposed constitution of the European Union. The result was a victory for the "no" campaign, with 55% of voters rejecting the treaty on a turnout of 69%) .Sarkosy ignored it and forced France into it . We french people do remember and are holding our anger for too long. Exit Macron.

[yeseniagallardo]

Wow BBC crying now, congratulations to Europe

[swain]

What democracy is supposed to be about, when the people don't like what you're doing they get rid of you, democracy.

[rodneyagesa]

Macron just became another victim of the Zelensky curse.

[mark-whqc]

Do these people never ask why this shift is happening?

[jjsc]

I have never seen reporters try so desperately to dance on the head of a pin to avoid the word “immigration”. OBVIOUSLY the largest driver of this shift 🙄

[georgebezzegh]

Get rid of Ursula, and maybe Europe have some hope for survival...😄

[barriebarnardt]

von der Leyen is living in her own unreality.

[spointz]

She said far left and far right. Which far left parties had such huge gains?

[brandonmaposa]

The French people said No to Nuclear War…bye x2 Macron

[knockedoutloaded]

Poor Christian Fraser looking utterly miserable at having to report this 😂

[franciscouderq]

Macron is trying to beat the odds by speedily call for elections.

[imrael]

Just normal people voting their own interests. Long overdue adjustment.

[janfatas]

Ursula von der Pfizer must go out as Macron

[KGBot]

if bbc is calling so many far right, are they actually see it from far left?