Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has caught referendum fever. He is giving his public a vote on refugee policy in what is being seen as a two-fingered salute to the EU.
While the French public comes to terms with a series of appalling attacks, politicians seize the opportunity to position themselves ahead of next year’s Presidential election.
Obama has said he expects European allies to chip in their fair share of defense spending, and European public opinion supports it. But as a Tufts expert points out, many challenges in Europe remain.
The Brexit vote was the outcome of the disillusionment and disengagement that have permeated the UK. Many Europeans share that mood, which is why both the UK and EU need radical democratic surgery.
Radical right populists are on the brink of power in Austria and making gains across the region. And the European leaders who once were willing to publicly condemn them are silent now.