EU elections across France, Spain, and Sweden risk far-right gains after Germany's historic vote

The upcoming European electoral cycle poses a significant risk of destabilizing the EU, as far-right parties could gain power following a historic victory in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt state election. This has raised alarms about the future of the European architecture. Elections are scheduled in France, Spain, Sweden, and other nations over the next 18 months. The French presidential vote is the primary concern, with a potential Marine Le Pen victory threatening EU cohesion. Recent votes in Iceland rejected EU accession talks, and Swedish polls show the right within close reach of the left. The Milanese newspaper Il Foglio highlighted these dangers, noting that a Le Pen win could lead to a runoff against far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hopes Le Pen would moderate like Italy's Giorgia Meloni, though Le Pen has called the EU an "empire against nations."