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Am I correct in an overall assessment that the gains across Europe for the Christian right (Merkel Sarkozy at al) were at the expense of the social left but that much of the gains must be adjusted for dangerous increases by the Green party in many countries. In other words, the voters did not become more capitalistic but more socialistic and the shift has been masked because the greens are officially a separate party?

My experience here in Germany is that the people accept uncritically the posturing of the Green party and do not look behind it and discover its radical socialism. In other words, global warming is a matter of conventional wisdom.

Anecdotally, my neighbors say they are not happy with so much immigration but they don't even think about it unless I ask them. So, in a way, I am surprised that seems to have driven results in, especially, Austria.

I haven’t thoroughly analyzed it, I’ll wait for the professionals to add it all up, but it seems like increased votes for anti-immigrant (e.g. BNP) parties and Euro-Skeptic (e.g. UKIP) parties is roughly comparable to votes for the Green and far-left (neo-communist) blocs. It is like European politics has been put into a food-processor, and no one has tasted the new pate yet.

Am I correct in an overall assessment that the gains across Europe for the Christian right (Merkel Sarkozy at al) were at the expense of the social left but that much of the gains must be adjusted for dangerous increases by the Green party in many countries. In other words, the voters did not become more capitalistic but more socialistic and the shift has been masked because the greens are officially a separate party?

I think that is one way to look at it, however, it might be worth noting that the Greens gained 9 seats EU-wide, but the EUL/NGL (Die Linke in DE) lost 7 overall.

I think the most significant result in Germany was the strong showing by FDP, which increased its take from 6% of the electorate in last EU election to 11%. The Greens in Germany remained flat and Die Linke only picked up an extra 1.5% over last time.

I can't speak for all of Germany, but here in Bavaria I can hardly get through brotzeit without hearing about taxes and/or Turks...doesn't matter if I am with my 60 year-old in-laws or my wife's 30 year-old friends, they are all pissed off. But yes, when it comes to global warming, everyone I know over here buys into it completely.