The Green parties face a decline in European elections

The Green parties lost a third of their seats in the European Parliament, raising questions about the future of Europe's climate movement.

Matina Stevis-Gridneff reports for The New York Times.

In short:

• The Greens' decline is attributed to shifting voter priorities amid the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis.
• Centrist and right-wing parties have absorbed or attacked the Green agenda, portraying it as elitist and out of touch.
• Despite setbacks, the Greens found success in Nordic and some Southern European countries, indicating potential for future coalitions.

Key quote:

“They portray this transition as a very elitist transition, that it’s only for the ‘Tesla people. And I can tell you, Tesla does not have a good image anymore.”

— Bas Eickhout, European Greens’ vice president

Why this matters:

The decline of Green parties could slow progress on climate policies in Europe, affecting global efforts to combat climate change and potentially increasing socio-economic disparities. Read more: The chemical industry may have killed a landmark EU chemical policy. Here’s what that means for the US.