Back in 2016, the Trump and Brexit phenomena in America and Britain invited unfavourable comparisons with the political stability that had allowed centrist parties to dominate the post-1945 government of Europe. Eight years on, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party has won 32 per cent of the votes cast in France in the European Parliament election.

This is twice the 15 per cent vote for French President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance Party. National Rally’s topping the poll in France was the tip of the surge in support for right-wing populist, anti-immigration and Eurosceptic parties across the European Union. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen claims the centre has held with traditional centre-right and centre-left parties also expected to retain an overall majority in the 720-seat chamber.