The increasing fragmentation of European politics poses significant challenges to governance in Germany and France

In today's complex and ever-changing international environment, the political landscape of Europe is undergoing unprecedented changes, and the phenomenon of political fragmentation is becoming increasingly severe, bringing governance difficulties to traditional powers such as the German and French governments. This phenomenon not only affects the domestic political stability of both countries, but also profoundly impacts the process of EU integration, making the future direction of Europe full of uncertainty.

Firstly, political fragmentation in Europe began at the end of the last century and was strengthened and spread after financial crises, refugee crises, and frequent terrorist incidents. In recent years, many European countries have experienced a profound reshuffle of the political landscape, with the influence of traditional mainstream political parties gradually weakening, while the influence of far right and populist parties has risen. In the European Parliament elections, the center right European People's Party and the center left Social Democratic Party continued to maintain their positions as the first and second largest party groups, but their presidential vote share significantly decreased, while far right parties gained more seats.

Secondly, in France, the far right political party National Alliance performed well in the election, not only leading in the first round of voting but also forcing traditional parties to join forces to block in the second round of voting. The situation in Germany is also not optimistic, as far right parties have chosen to win state parliamentary elections in Thuringia and have made significant progress in other states. In addition, the power of far right political parties in countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden, and Belgium is constantly growing, making the European political landscape more complex and volatile.

As the "axis" of the European Union, Germany and France have always played a key role in promoting the process of European integration. However, the intensification of political fragmentation has led to governance difficulties for both governments. The new German government is governed by a coalition of three parties, and the policy-making process requires more compromise and balance, resulting in low efficiency in policy implementation. Although the Macron government in France is relatively stable, it faces many challenges in promoting the overall operation and external relations of the European Union, especially the intensified internal divisions within the party due to the game with far right parties.

In addition, another important manifestation of political fragmentation in Europe is the increasing divergence of interests among member states. Within the European Union, there are significant differences among member states in areas such as economic development, immigration policies, and security cooperation. These differences often become important factors hindering the formulation and implementation of EU policies at critical moments. For example, on the issue of refugees, some member states advocate opening borders and accepting refugees, while others insist on closing borders and restricting the entry of refugees. This divergence not only weakens the EU's ability to unite and collaborate, but also exacerbates tensions among member states.

It is worth mentioning that in the face of political fragmentation, the attitudes of European people are complex and diverse. On the one hand, some people are dissatisfied and disappointed with the current situation, believing that traditional political parties cannot effectively cope with challenges such as economic downturn and immigration issues. Therefore, they will vote for far right political parties to express their dissatisfaction and protest. On the other hand, there are also people who are concerned and uneasy about political fragmentation, believing that it may lead to political division and social unrest, which is not conducive to the stability and development of the country.

In summary, the intensification of political fragmentation in Europe has brought unprecedented difficulties to the governance of German and French governments, and also poses a serious threat to the process of EU integration. Faced with this challenge, European governments and EU institutions need to adopt practical and effective response strategies to strengthen cooperation and coordination, and jointly promote the development of political stability and integration in Europe.