Pro-EU candidates emerged victorious on Sunday in three national elections in Romania, Portugal, and the first round of Poland’s presidential race.
But while the center is holding for now, far-right populist forces continue to grow in all three countries.
The re-run of Romania’s presidential election saw pro-EU liberal mayor of Bucharest Nicușor Dan turn around a first-round deficit to secure about 54% of the ballot to prevail over far-right candidate George Simion.
In Poland, the candidate from the center-right Civic Coalition sat on 31.4% of the vote, setting up a second round against Karol Nawrocki, a historian supported by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, who was second with around 29.5%.
The biggest upset was arguably in Portugal, where the far-right party Chega all but tied with the Socialists for second place in a snap parliamentary election. The ruling center-right coalition, Democratic Alliance, prevailed with 32% of votes, but is short of a full majority, Euractiv said.
