Germany’s conservatives finish first in EU election, as far-right momentum sends France’s leader scrambling [Video]

Germany’s conservatives finished first in the European Union’s elections, as far-right momentum within the bloc has sent France’s leadership scrambling. 

The conservative alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union garnered 30.2% of the vote Sunday, Politico reported, citing a projection by German public television. 

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party came in second place, projected to receive 16% of the vote – a 5 percentage point club from the 2019 European Parliament election. 

Meanwhile, dismal results for Germany’s governing parties have dented Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s authority and could prompt even more infighting. 

FRANCE’S MACRON CALLS SNAP LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS AFTER PARTY’S RESOUNDING DEFEAT IN EU VOTE

Scholz’s Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats secured less than a third of the vote. Scholz’s party polled only 13.9%, its worst post-World War II showing in a nationwide vote, while the Greens crashed to 11.9% from a peak of 20.5% five years ago, the Associated Press reported. …