Carnegie Europe, a part of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, quotes Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson on what to expect from the newly elected European Union Parliament:
The dynamics set in train by the latest European Parliament elections will likely mean that the body begins to mirror national parliaments’ handling of foreign policy.
These elections to a supranational entity have triggered domestic fights for political relevance and survival, pushing traditional foreign policy to the rear. The vote foreshadows the EU itself becoming the leading target of these national debates, underscoring the EU as “foreign.”
The European Parliament’s agenda will become more complicated as the growth of anti-EU parties will make forging majorities more difficult on the full range of issues, including foreign policy. Despite political momentum, these parties will remain a distinct minority and may therefore turn to disruptive legislative practices to ensure their voices are heard. Nationalist members of parliament may push for more muscular, disruptive oversight of the foreign policy work of the European Commission.