In a major setback for Pope Francis’ efforts on migration and climate change, European voters have supported far-right, anti-immigrant parties in recent elections. Even though pro-EU parties still have a majority, the June 6-9 elections showed growing support for nationalist movements, which might influence the EU’s future migration and environmental policies.
The shift was most pronounced in France, where Marine Le Pen’s National Rally overwhelmed President Emmanuel Macron’s faction, leading to the dissolution of parliament and snap elections scheduled for June 30. Similar gains were seen in Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands. In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s center-right Brothers of Italy party secured nearly 30 percent of the vote, while the main leftist opposition, the Democrats, also saw unexpected success.
This political shift in key EU nations like France and Germany is expected to make the European Parliament more Euro-skeptic, less proactive on climate change, and stricter on migration policies. These developments could complicate the Vatican’s efforts under Pope Francis, who has consistently opposed the rise of nationalist and populist movements. In November 2022, he cautioned against populism at a Vatican lunch for refugees and homeless individuals, and reiterated this stance at World Youth Day, condemning populism and conspiracy theories.
Ahead of the elections, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and Bishop Mariano Crociata, influenced by Pope Francis, urged voters to prioritize European unity and shared responsibility towards migrants. Their call for a collective approach to global issues like poverty and injustice did not resonate as hoped with the electorate, as evidenced by the election results.
The election outcomes pose a specific challenge for Catholic leaders in Germany, where the bishops’ opposition to the far-right Alternative for Germany party, including the dismissal of a parish worker who was a prominent party member, did not prevent the party from gaining 16 percent of the vote, making it the second-largest political force in the country.
Conversely, the rise of right-wing parties might align with Pope Francis’ views on some issues, such as skepticism about prolonging the war in Ukraine and opposition to gender theory, euthanasia, and abortion. The recent European Parliament vote to include access to abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights may now face greater resistance given the new parliamentary composition.