The relentless rise of the populist right in Europe has been confirmed by provisional first results of elections held yesterday in three different countries: Poland, Portugal and Romania.
In Poland, there will be a run-off in the second round of the presidential election. This is after Rafal Trzaskowski, the centre-left candidate close to the Civic Coalition government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, was run to an unexpectedly close second place by the ultra-conservative candidate Karol Nawrocki, who is backed by the former ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party. Ominously for the Left, the third and fourth places were also taken by ultra right-wing candidates, whose votes are now likely to go to Nawrocki in the second round.
The political wind in Europe for the past decade has been blowing strongly to the right
In Romania, there was better news for the pro-EU centre. With 90 per cent of the vote in the final round of the presidential election counted, the centre-left mayor of the capital Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, was enjoying a comfortable surprise seven-point lead over the ultra-right populist Georgei Simeon, who won the first round and who polls had predicted to win.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate, free for a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.
UNLOCK ACCESS Try a month freeAlready a subscriber? Log in