European neighbors cast a wary eye on France after far-right party’s election lead

Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — After France’s far-right National Rally surged into the lead in the first round of legislative elections, some European neighbors are warily eyeing the latest country on the continent to veer to the right. The French result comes after the European Parliament elections last month strengthened hard-right parties overall, though their performances varied from country to country. It also comes as Hungary, led by Euroskeptic Prime Minister Viktor Orbántakes over the European Union’s presidency for the coming six months. Pro-European politicians fear a further weakening of unity in the 27-nation bloc, which is already experiencing anti-European sentiment in many regions, triggered by issues such as inflation, migration, and Russia’s war on Ukraine.