Polarized partners? The Extreme Right and Left in the 2024-2029 European Parliament

The 2024 European Parliament (EP) elections expected a raise of Euroscepticism, as it already happened in 2009, 2014, and 2019. Yet, it was the populist radical right that made the biggest gains, contributing to increasing fragmentation across the European Chamber. In this study, we explore the results of the 2024 EP elections, by examining how political parties organised in groups, and whether this can be considered a significant development in European politics. The analysis seeks to explore whether the current Eurosceptical contestation can still be described as Euroscepticism, and what policies, positions and issues these parties have in common. Already in 2019, we could observe that new forms of contestation towards the EU were projected from the radical right and left for an alternative EU. On the right, with a Eurosceptic stance, opposing EU integration on the political and economic side, protecting national sovereignty, and on the left, adopting a Euroalternative stance, addressing accountability, transparency, legitimacy, democracy, and a border-free Europe. If this persists, we address whether it is worth to be examined as a breaker or maker of European integration.