The Center Is Not Holding

By Michael Curtis

It is a hyperbolic overstatement to say that the center cannot hold and mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, but it is fair to recognize that the tectonic plates of European politics are shifting. In one week in November-December 2016 this actuality was illustrated by electoral results in France and Italy, and to a lesser extent in Austria.

In France, after the victory on November 28, 2016 of Francois Fillon to be the candidate of the right-wing Republic party in the 2017 presidential election, and the growing popularity of Marine Le Pen the leader and candidate of the far right Front National, the incumbent socialist President Francois Holland declared he would not compete in the presidential election. The public opinion polls indicate that since Fillon and Le Pen are leading, a socialist candidate, whether Prime Minister Manuel Valls or someone else, is unlikely to get to the second round, let alone win.......

This attempt to limit immigration of Muslims into Europe comes at a moment when the belief that Muslims may not be part of the national community is understandable.....Paradoxically, the report criticizes the British police for “pandering” to ethnic minorities......43% of Muslims in the country want at least some aspects of Sharia law to be in force and to replace British law.......there is revolt and popular anger against what is seen as the elite and the centrist politics of the country. The populist backlash that took Trump to the White House and Britain out of the European Union is continuing...... Read more