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
Sri Lanka’s economy expected to grow 3% in 2024, central bank says
Yellen says US can bring inflation down without hurting jobs
US dollar briefly falls versus yen after GDP data
US weekly jobless claims unexpectedly fall
US economic growth slows more than expected in Q1
Malaysia ex-PM Mahathir facing anti-graft probe in a case involving his sons