Europe skirts a deep recession but livelihoods hurt
Poverty, social exclusion on the rise
Radical right seek to erode mainstream vote

DUNKIRK, France, May 9 Reuters The northern French port of Dunkirk, riding an industrial miniboom thanks to a statebacked investment push, is a showcase for President Emmanuel Macron39;s belief that fighting unemployment is the best way to curb support for the farright.

But the economic potential of two new EV gigafactories will not stop locals like Killiams Pierron backing Marine Le Pen39;s nationalists in June elections to the European Parliament, after a surge in prices for food, heating and other essentials.

Bread, cheese, butter, it39;s all gone up, construction labourer Pierron told Reuters as he rode one of the region39;s free buses, listing the ingredients of a hamcheese baguette roll he said had tripled in price to 4.40 euros 4.75 after three years of high inflation.

At some point you need to start thinking about the French before others, he said, arguing Macron should prioritise domestic issues like affordable housing rather than pursue support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Anger at falling living standards is shared by millions of Europeans and is expected to dent support for mainstream parties in the June 69 vote for the 720 lawmakers of the EU assembly, which helps set trade, green and other policy in the 27nation bloc.

Since the last elections in 2019, the European economy has faced COVID19 shutdowns and…