European Unrest

Europe has been unable to haul itself out of the doldrums wrought by the 2008–09 global financial crisis. In addition to economic stagnation and high joblessness rates, immigration from poorer to richer countries has led to social tensions, made worse by a new influx of refugees fleeing Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, after decades of dormancy, anti-Semitism appears to be on the rise again. The 28-member European Union (EU) has responded to the economic malaise by bolstering its fiscal authority, but that has provoked a backlash from critics who believe national governments — and not the EU — should set policy. In such a climate, far-right, anti-immigrant, anti-EU and even neo-Nazi political parties have been gaining eyebrow-raising victories at the ballot box. At the same time, foreign-policy experts say Hungary, an EU member, is sliding toward authoritarianism, adding to fears that Europe is headed in a dangerous direction.