Hard right is set to surge in this week’s European Union elections. Center set to tilt to right, too

By RAF CASERT
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union elections start Thursday and results will be known late Sunday. All eyes are on how well the populist and hard-right parties will do in polling across the 27 nations. Since the last elections five years ago, such parties are already leading three governments, are part of governing coalitions in several others and are surging in polls across the bloc like never before. There is even talk that bound together, the hard-right and populist parties could become the second biggest group in Parliament. The legislature will be voting on whether European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen should get a second term. Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni could hold the cards in how big the breakthrough by the hard right will be.