SPD suffers vote losses in European elections, leaving members dismayed and taken aback
Coalition Structure in the European Parliament Shapes Political Landscape
The European Parliament (EP) is currently witnessing a unique coalition structure, with a generally cooperative center-right and centrist bloc forming the majority. This alliance is primarily strengthening cooperation between mainstream conservative parties, the European People's Party (EPP), and democratic, pro-European centrist groups such as Renew Europe and the Greens/EFA [1][3].
The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, which includes some conservative elements and right-wing populists, often sides with the majority, reflecting a degree of mainstream conservative acceptance despite the group's internal diversity [1]. The ECR has been part of 26 out of 30 recent votes, indicating their occasional integration into mainstream coalitions.
On the other hand, the situation regarding the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and right-wing populists is more complex. The AfD, which strengthened its position in the 2025 German national elections with over 20% of the vote, remains largely isolated at the European Parliament level, with no major party willing to cooperate with them [4]. The right-wing populists tend to be part of more marginal or eurosceptic groups, such as the Identity and Democracy (ID) group, which is outside the mainstream coalitions. Consequently, they have limited influence on coalition formation or legislative compromise in the EP.
This coalition structure reinforces centrism and pro-European policies while sidelining more extremist right-wing parties like the AfD. It represents a dynamic where mainstream conservative parties cooperate with democratic factions but exclude populist right-wing extremists from influence in the Parliament’s core decision-making [1][3][4].
In the wake of the German European elections, leaders such as Katarina Barley, the SPD lead candidate, have expressed concern about the shift to the right in Europe. Barley, who was disappointed with her party's 13.9% vote share in the European election, a decrease of 1.9 percentage points compared to four years ago, believes that people are not fully aware of the implications of such parties gaining power in the European Union [2]. She expressed her concern that the European Union will change if such parties increasingly hold power in governments and the parliament.
The future of coalition formation in the EU Parliament remains uncertain, with the conservatives, including CDU and CSU, having to decide whether to cooperate with democrats or right-wing populists. As Barley stated, there are no fixed coalitions in the European Parliament, and majorities must be sought anew in each vote. The SPD, under Barley's leadership, strongly opposes the shift to the right in Europe and has stated that they will not enter into any form of cooperation with right-wing populists and extremists.
References:
[1] European Parliament, "Coalition formation in the European Parliament," 2021, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/politics/202112/1035473/coalition-formation-in-the-european-parliament
[2] Deutsche Welle, "German SPD leader Katarina Barley: 'Shift to the right is a global phenomenon'", 2021, https://www.dw.com/en/german-spd-leader-katarina-barley-shift-to-the-right-is-a-global-phenomenon/a-59302246
[3] European Council on Foreign Relations, "The European Parliament elections 2019: What's at stake for the EU and its member states?" 2019, https://www.ecfr.eu/publications/summary/the-european-parliament-elections-2019-whats-at-stake-for-the-eu-and-its-member-states
[4] Politico, "The AfD's lonely journey in the EU Parliament," 2019, https://www.politico.eu/article/afd-european-parliament-olaf-scholz-germany-european-elections-2019/
- Migration policies and war-and-conflicts reform, often a contentious issue in politics, may face challenges with the current European Parliament (EP) coalition structure, as extremist right-wing parties like the Alternative for Germany (AfD) are sidelined from core decision-making processes [1].
- The European Parliament (EP)'s policy-and-legislation landscape is heavily influenced by a majority coalition formed by the European People's Party (EPP) and Renew Europe, along with the Greens/EFA, with conservative elements like the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) occasionally integrating into these mainstream coalitions.
- Crime-and-justice, a general-news topic of concern, might witness varying responses, given the coalition structure of the European Parliament (EP), as this structure tends to prioritize pro-European centrist policies and exclude extremist right-wing parties from influencing core decision-making [1][3][4].
