ECR: Data Analysis, Current Polls, and Policy Positions

Anti-federalism forms the bedrock of the ECR. It views the nation-state as the legitimate source of democratic authority and rejects the vision of a European superstate. Its worldview is shaped by conservative and traditional values, considering family, cultural identity, and Christian heritage as the stabilizing pillars of society. State action, according to the ECR, should concentrate on security and market freedom, rather than driving societal transformations.

The ECR's agenda focuses on economic liberalism and restrictive immigration policies. The group advocates for reducing bureaucracy, fostering free competition, and repatriating powers from Brussels to national capitals. It primarily targets voters who value the single market but fear a loss of national identity due to Brussels' centralizing tendencies. Key priorities include protecting external borders and achieving energy independence through a technology-neutral mix of renewables and nuclear power.

Strategically, the ECR positions itself as a right-conservative corrective to the pro-European center. It often acts as a bridge-builder between the moderate center and the far-right, while carefully maintaining a clear distinction from openly anti-systemic forces. While aiming to reform EU institutions from within, it consistently emphasizes the primacy of national law and acts as a defender of national veto rights against majority decisions at the EU level.