Europe’s nationalist parties talk endlessly about defending European countries, but they are the least willing to confront hostile foreign governments. By taking a weak security posture, these leaders are practically inviting other countries to escalate their threats to Europe’s way of life.
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PARIS – Europe’s shift to the right has become undeniable. Over the past decade, far-right and populist parties that preach sovereignty, national identity, and anti-globalization have attracted millions of voters in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and other European countries, with some even riding popular support into government. But while the martial rhetoric these parties favor has increasingly set the tone for political debate and seeped into mainstream discourse, it also masks a disconcerting contradiction.
PARIS – Europe’s shift to the right has become undeniable. Over the past decade, far-right and populist parties that preach sovereignty, national identity, and anti-globalization have attracted millions of voters in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and other European countries, with some even riding popular support into government. But while the martial rhetoric these parties favor has increasingly set the tone for political debate and seeped into mainstream discourse, it also masks a disconcerting contradiction.