Quo Vadis Europe?

The rise of populist leaders around the world continues to astound many, though it is obvious by now that this will be the defining feature of early 21st century politics. Not long after U.S. President Donald Trump talked about "economic protectionism" and issued a presidential directive to suspend the admission of citizens of seven Muslim countries to the U.S., the French far-right National Front Party leader and candidate in the forthcoming presidential election, Marine Le Pen, warned her supporters against the threats of "economic globalization" and "Islamic fundamentalism." As Trump vowed to build a wall across the Mexican border to quell immigrants, Le Pen too promised, if she were to be elected, to close French borders to immigrants, especially to Muslims. These kinds of acts and discourses by leaders encourage xenophobic and anti-immigrant attitudes.

It could be argued that there is close correlation between populist discourse and terrorist attacks that hit several European cities in the last few years. But the argument goes both ways: While terrorist attacks, mostly connected with Islamic radicals, have created conducive environment for such discourse by leaders like Le Pen, the use of such discourse also provides excuse and encouragement to terrorist attacks. The dividing and alienating hate speeches would cultivate anything but security.

Although the recent polls in France suggest that Le Pen would lose the election in the runoff stage to former Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron, it is dismaying to see that she will top the ballot box with 25 percent of the votes in the first round. Never mind she and her rhetoric would lose in the end, the process will no doubt poison and radicalize French political scene enough to further estrange already...