It was not just in the UK that the traditional parties of Left and Right took a beating at the European Parliamentary elections – all across the bloc mainstream parties lost out to a motley crew of new, insurgent political forces.
But the combination of a stronger showing by the Liberals, a mini ‘Green wave’ and populist gains in the south and east of the EU creates political deadlock in Brussels that could last for some months as the main political families engage in horse-trading for the EU’s top jobs.
Meanwhile the Brexit Article 50 extension clock is still ticking down to October 31 and any hopes that a big advance by eurosceptic parties would create a Parliament more sympathetic to the British…