Euro-sceptics in Power

Integration-critical Parties in the European Parliament and National Governments

SWP Comment 2016/C 17, April 2016, 8 Pages

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Following a string of crises that have eroded trust in the European Union, Euro-sceptic parties achieved major gains in the 2014 European elections, and have expanded their share of the vote in almost all regional and national elections held since. Seven national governments now either include or are tolerated by Euro-sceptic parties. In practice, however, their impact on the legislative process in the European Parliament and the Council has been minimal. But the crumbling of the European consensus limits the room for national governments to find compromises at the EU level, above all in relation to the Union’s major challenges. The EU therefore needs to secure its future on the basis of its existing level of integration.