Eurotopics.net

With just over 31 percent of the vote, Marine Le Pen's right-wing nationalist Rassemblement National has scored a clear victory in the European elections. President Macron, whose centrist Renaissance party won only 15 percent, dissolved the National Assembly on Sunday evening and announced snap elections for 30 June and 7 July. Commentators take a look at what another victory for the RN would mean.

In Hungary, Viktor Orbán's ruling Fidesz party's share of the vote dropped to 45 percent in the European elections, while his rival Péter Magyar's newly founded Tisza party secured 30 percent. Commentators have different takes on the result.

Bulgaria held its sixth parliamentary election in three years together with the European elections. Former prime minister Boyko Borisov's conservative Gerb party won, securing just over a quarter of the vote, followed by the Turkish minority party DPS. The reform-oriented PP, the party that formed the last government, only came third. Commentators still don't see an end to the deadlock.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called a general election for 4 July even though he could have delayed it until January 2025. Sunak said on Wednesday that the British people must decide: 'Who do you trust?' Commentators discuss why the prime minister has decided to hold the election now - despite abysmal poll ratings - and whether the Tories still stand a chance of winning.