The American Way

How Europe can save its relationship with America, and itself:

If Europe wants Trump to re-engage with NATO and the European Union, it will need to make the case that Europe really does share democratic values with America. And that means ending the cordon sanitaire. Many countries have already done this. Conservative populist parties are part of coalitions or provide outside support for centre-right governments in Sweden, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Croatia, Bulgaria, and even Belgium. Denmark, Norway, and Poland have been governed by or included conservative populists in their governments. Spain’s centre-right party, Partido Popular (PP), governs with the conservative-populist Vox in some regions as well. It remains an article of faith, though, in France and Germany. As long as the EU’s two largest nations – and by extension, the EU itself – remain steadfastly opposed to conservative populist government participation, the cordon remains a stumbling block to improved relations with the United States.

Remember what you're supposed to be defending...