The Green Party celebrated vigorously on election night, but at the European level, there is no reason for jubilation for the Greens.
The vote count is still ongoing after the European Parliament election, but the Greens' decline is a fact. On Monday afternoon, they seemed to lose 19 seats and land on 52 seats.
They are now only the sixth largest party group in the parliament, surpassed by the far-right's two alliances. Both the German and French Green parties have collapsed after the previous EU election's great successes.
Right now, the big game of who-takes-who is underway in the parliament. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who as the EPP's top candidate hopes to be re-elected, has started negotiations with social democrats and liberals. However, she has not mentioned the Greens.
The question is which line of cooperation the parliament's largest party group EPP, which includes KD and M, will choose.
The social democrats have also stated that they will make demands for continued ambitious climate policy to support von der Leyen, and the liberal party group also highlights climate policy in its election manifesto.
But in the general right-wing shift in the EU parliament, it can be expected that it will become more difficult to implement climate policy. This applies particularly to environmental policy, such as nature conservation and chemical legislation, believes Engström.
The main issue going forward will be to decide on a new climate target for 2040. The EU Commission has proposed that emissions should decrease by 90 per cent by then. But so far, no concrete measures have been presented for how this will be achieved.
During the mandate period, there are also planned reviews of the large climate package Fit for 55, which opens up for softening of the legislation.
One question that will certainly be discussed is the decision to ban combustion engines by 2035. A decision that some in the EPP want to postpone.
Agricultural policy will likely become another conflict area, not least after all the farmer protests recently.
