Novelties and paradoxes of the 2019 European elections

The 2019 European elections are characterised by many novelties and paradoxes: for the first time they have acquired a high political salience, also thanks to the cleavage between nationalist and pro-EU parties. And there is a wider public debate than in the past. However, not all political parties are presenting their Spitzenkandidaten and few have taken a clear position with regards to the struggle between the Parliament and the European Council on which institution really decides the next Commission President. Pro-European and nationalists are much divided and often some forces in one camp have paradoxical positions on some specific issues.