The day is here! After five years, a new European Parliament has been elected! What is the European Parliament? That doesn't matter too much. On the human level, it is a retirement home for has-been politicians and a trial area for the new generation of (increasingly rootless frequent-flyer) whippersnappers. In terms of policy, it influences the regulation of the European Union's substantial common market, one of the three largest economies in the world. However, these elections are of interest to us primarily as a snapshot of Europeans' minds and an indication of future political prospects.

In 2014, I wrote about the breakthrough of about 200 nationalist or soft-euroskeptic MEPs (that's 'Members of the European Parliament') and the consequences over the last five years have been basically zilch. Other than giving said nationalists and soft-euroskeptics are more secure financial and political base.