Millions of voters voted on the election’s Super Sunday due to concerns about the benefits of the far-right, especially in Romania and Poland. However, the centrists laid the foundation for the two EU and NATO members bordering war-torn Ukraine and provided promotion for the West.
The center-right council in Portugal also won the parliament, but the far right record was recorded.
After winning the elections of the three leaders, Brussels can breathe cautious relief. But while the center is still ongoing, the far-right populist forces continue to grow in all three countries, the latest trend in a series of far-rights in Europe.
Last summer, the EU elections saw a clear turn in the European Parliament, sweeping the 27-member group, storming the government and putting mainstream parties at crossroads. Despite the results of "Super Sunday", European-doubted parties continue to gain support.
Romania's presidential election centered on a clear victory, Nicusor Dan, who won 54% of the vote and 46% of nationalist rival George Simion.
The closely watched race has geopolitical implications for the EU, attracting the country's highest electoral vote in 25 years, with about 65% of qualified voters voting.
The election was marked by Dan's dramatic comeback, 55-year-old mayor of Bucharest who lagged behind in the early stages but moved forward quickly in the final days of the vote.
Dan is a former mathematician who promises to cut corruption and support the EU and NATO.
Simion hosted a campaign stemming from Eurosceptic and nationalist rhetoric, promising to stop military aid to Ukraine and overthrew the ruling institutions in a way similar to U.S. President Donald Trump.
His early leadership raised concerns in the free stage of the population, but as the results came in, it became clear that voters gathered behind Dan's vision of centrist Romania.
The previous vote was cancelled in December due to the alleged Russian intervention.
Many view the game as a referendum on Romania's future political direction and its role in the EU and NATO.
High turnout reflects the driving force behind the rise in opposition to right-wing populism, strengthening Romania's western direction when regional instability is occurring.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen quickly congratulated the pro-EU winner, saying Den’s victory would help work towards a “strong Europe.”
Looking ahead, Denmark plans to form a coalition with the centre-left and centre-right parties, aiming to stabilize the political landscape and fulfill the promise of reform.
Speaking to private TV station Digi24, Dan said he hopes the new coalition government includes all four center-right and left-wing parliamentary parties.
Rafal Trzaskowski, deputy leader of the Centre-Citizen Platform (PO) party of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, won 31.1% of the vote, according to a second exit poll released later Sunday.
Karol Nawrocki of the Conservative Law and Justice (PIS) party ranked second with 29.1%.
The vote is also a referendum against the Tusk government, which was established after the end of the eight-year rules of PIS in December 2023, a sign of destruction by the judiciary and the media.
If the election results - not expected until later today - Trzaskowski and Nawrocki will compete in the second round on June 1, while neither winning over 50% in the first round.
Meanwhile, other candidates for the first round will be eliminated - including Slawomir Mentzen of the far-right federal party and Magdalena Biejat of the Lewica (left) party.
"We have a lot of work in front of us and we need determination," Trzaskowski told supporters Sunday night.
He warned that the real work of the government has just begun given the political polarization within Polish society.
In commenting on X, Prime Minister Tusk forged a pro-European track, saying the next two weeks will determine the future of Poland.
Meanwhile, Nawrocki's camp highlights what the Citizens' Union calls "power monopoly."
Social issues dominated the campaign, Nawrocki made himself the guardian of conservative values, while Trzaskowski got voters’ support to support his donations and LGBTQ rights.
Now both camps are focused on mobilizing supporters and attracting voters of candidates who may be eliminated, as decisive runoff seems likely.
The Polish president has the power to veto the law, so the winner will directly influence whether Tusk's pro-EU government can implement its agenda. Foreign policy, judicial reform and civil rights are all under threat.
Trzaskowski's victory in the second round could allow Tusk's administration to implement an agenda that included rejecting judicial changes caused by PIS, which critics say hurt the independence of the court.
But if Navoloki wins, the already-existing deadlock will continue since Tusk became prime minister in 2023.
In Portugal, the parliamentary election saw the center-right Democratic League (AD), led by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, occupy 89 seats in the 230-seat parliament, far fewer than the 116 seats in the majority. The party received 32.7% of the vote.
The Socialist Party (PS) and the far-right Chega Party even ranked second, both winning 58 seats. Socialists suffered huge losses compared to previous elections, prompting the resignation of party leader Pedro Nuno Santos.
With the result of several seats not yet called, Chega could become the main opposition. Chega, which runs on an anti-immigration platform, won a record 22.6% of the vote, up from 1.3% of its first election in 2019.
"We didn't win these elections, but we made history," Chega leader Andre Ventura told AFP.
“The system of bipartisan rules in Portugal has ended,” said Ventura, a sports commentator on television.
Meanwhile, Chega's aggressive enhancement has tuned more and more Portuguese far-right politics, and the Liberal Initiative (IL) has also made profits, gaining nine seats.
"The people want this government and the Prime Minister." Montenegro said to his cheering supporters after Montenegro announced.
But even with the support of emerging business-friendly parties in Illinois, the ad still needs Chega's support to pass legislation.
However, for his part, Montenegro, a former lawyer at 52, rejected any alliance with the anti-establishment party, calling it "unreliable" and "unsuitable for rule."
Voting is dominated by inflation, housing and immigration issues.
The results of the vote raise the prospect of a legislative deadlock, or the need for temporary agreements on key policies, which would complicate the already tricky political background in a country of 10.6 million people.
Sunday’s election is the third in years and was called after Montenegro failed to win a vote of confidence in parliament in March.
He was forced to call the SNAP election after opposition questions his integrity in the deals of his family’s consulting firm. He denied any misconduct.
The Montenegro government will need to carefully browse policy priorities and build consensus across parties while trying to maintain public trust and address ongoing economic and social issues.