Alarm sounds for multicultural Europe

The voters from the 28 member states of the European Union (EU) cast their ballots for the European Parliament for four days between May 22 and 25. The results were somewhat expected, but shocking for many nevertheless. The rise of the anti-establishment parties that are skeptical about the idea of a unified Europe, as well as racist parties hostile to immigrants, is now a fact of life throughout Europe. Some have started to question the future of a multicultural Europe and even Europe-wide integration.

What started as isolated local successes in parts of France and the U.K. almost three decades ago is now a Europe-wide phenomenon. The anti-establishment parties clearly made their claim heard for the future of Europe. In Germany, for instance, Alternative for Germany (AfD), a pro-EU but anti-euro party, won seven seats in the Parliament. In France, Marine Le Pen’s Euroskeptic far-right National Front (FN) won 24 seats with a nearly record breaking 25 percent of the vote. Likewise, in the United Kingdom, the anti-EU U.K. Independence Party (UKIP) won 24 seats with 27 percent of the vote. It was an unprecedented political success, not only for the UKIP, but also for the political system, as it became the first part to break the dominance of the Conservative and Labour parties in the U.K. for the first time since 1906.

Similarly, the anti-immigration far-right People’s Party in Denmark, the Euroskeptic Dutch Freedom Party, the Italian Five Star Movement, and the racist far-right Golden Down in Greece all increased their shares of the votes in the European elections. How should we read this result?

The EU has had to cope with various crises throughout its existence and usually comes through reinvigorated, every time, proving its...