Trio of European Elections Keep Center Intact With Right on Rise
The Donald Trump factor rippled through European elections on Sunday. Surging turnout helped a centrist candidate fend off a far-right victory in Romania's closely watched presidential election. Nicusor Dan, an independent candidate, won with 54% of the vote, defeating George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians. The result was closer in the first round of Poland's presidential election, with the centrist Warsaw mayor on track for only a narrow victory over a pro-Trump nationalist to face a runoff in June. Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's center-right coalition clung to power in a snap election, though still fell short of a majority. Far-right party Chega was projected to strengthen its position, with results indicating it could overtake the Socialist Party to become the second largest group in parliament. All told, the results were a sigh of relief for the center, though the far right continues to strengthen its grip in opposition.
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