Europe was supposed to be at the epicenter of global climate change action, but now the voters are revolting against higher prices, lower living standards, and economies that have stalled out.

Over 200 million Europeans across 27 countries voted in elections for 720 members of the European Parliament over the weekend, and the result was a stinging defeat for Left and Green parties.

As the Wall Street Journal summarized:

Among the evening’s biggest losers were Europe’s green parties, which performed well five years ago on the back of mounting concerns about climate change. Continent-wide protests from farmers and rising voter concerns about the costs from green policies have since shifted the political mood.

The continent’s most powerful Green Party, the junior coalition party in Scholz’s government, picked up just 12% of the vote, down from over 20% in 2019.

The Green faction in the EU Parliament is falling to 53 seats, down from 71 in the last elections in 2019.

In addition, the liberal Renew Europe grouping in the Parliament, which supports greater EU control over national governments, was slammed. It fell to only 82 seats, down from 102.

CNBC characterized this as a revolt of the  “far right.” That’s untrue.  It was a revolt of normal working class people, and especially young European voters who are facing a bleak future of low growth, higher taxes and fewer jobs.

What’s scary is that the most radical climate change government in the world today is in Washington DC.