What's the matter with Europe?
High-handed EU officials must mend their ways if they don't wish to push voters into the arms of extremists.
ON Sunday, France will hold its presidential runoff. Most observers expect Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, to defeat Marine Le Pen, the white nationalist - please, let's stop dignifying this stuff by calling it "populism". And I'm pretty sure that New York Times rules allow me to state directly that I very much hope the conventional wisdom is right. A Le Pen victory would be a disaster for Europe and the world.
Yet I also think it's fair to ask a couple of questions about what's going on. First, how did things get to this point? Second, would a Le Pen defeat be anything more than a temporary reprieve from the ongoing European crisis?
Some background: Like everyone on this side of the Atlantic, I can't help seeing France in part through Trump-coloured glasses. But it's important to realise that the parallels between French and American politics exist despite big differences in underlying economic and social trends.
KEYWORDS IN THIS ARTICLE
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
International
US efforts to reshape global supply chains gathers pace in Asia
China recovery likely picked up with outlook buoyed by stimulus
US says it raised concerns over AI ‘misuse’ with China
Putin arrives in Beijing seeking greater support for war effort
IMF board approves members to channel reserve assets to MDBs for hybrid instruments
‘Ready to rumble’: Biden, Trump agree to two election debates