Europe Day marks 1 month till EU elections. Rise of hard right, wilting of Green Deal are possible

The European Union marks its annual Europe Day on Thursday. But instead of the humdrum celebrations, all eyes are on the EU elections in a month's time. They portend a steep rise of the extreme right and a possible move away from the bloc's global trendsetting climate policies. EU elections hardly caused a ripple for decades. The June 6-9 elections are the most important in memory because they are being held at a time of continuous crisis on a continent facing war in Ukraine, climate emergencies, a shifting of geopolitical plates and fundamental questions on the reach and purpose of the EU itself.