The big question for the world is whether the United States will now follow its old Iraq playbook, too. CIC Non-Resident Fellow James Traub digs deeper.
Non-Resident Fellow James Traub argues in his latest article for Foreign Policy that one year after his election, it's clear Emmanuel Macron isn't just a president — he's a liberal man of providence.
France's new president is betting that he can bring disaffected voters back into the liberal fold by combining openness with economic growth. What if he just makes them even angrier?
We live in a time of catastrophic political experiments. Americans are learning how far the institutions of civil society can protect democratic norms in the face of an autocratically minded president. The British are about to find out how much economic pain they can endure for the privilege of flipping the bird to Europe. Italians may soon hand the reins of power to a clown — literally.
Last week, Frank-Walter Steinmeier made his last visit to Paris as Germany’s foreign minister (he is about to become president) in order to issue a plea to the French people: “Please do not surrender to the siren song of populism.” His meaning was plain: Do not elect Marine Le Pen, leader of the nativist National Front, in the presidential election this spring. If France falls, Germany, which votes in September, could be next.
Germany can either save Europe or refugees — not both. To stem the rise of the far-right, the chancellor will be forced to make gut-wrenching decisions.
The Economic Crisis Is Over. Populism Is Forever.
From the United States to Germany, the West is booming—but the public hasn’t regained an appetite for liberalism.