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Authoritarianism Is a Slow Trickle, Until It’s Not
The biggest threats to Europe are still coming from within.
So, Marine Le Pen lost to Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, and we can all collectively take a deep breath. The danger of Putin’s puppet taking over the government of one of the biggest and politically most influential countries on the continent has been pushed away. Frexit isn’t happening, and Europe’s future remains safe.
Maybe not.
At 53, Le Pen is young for a politician. She has plenty of time to come back to win an election five, ten, or fifteen years from now.
The difference in votes between the two candidates — Macron with 58.5% and Le Pen with 41.5% — might also seem big, but not if you consider how the far right has been gaining ground, going from a fringe movement to the mainstream in the last couple of election cycles.
And especially not when you consider what Le Pen represents. Anti-European and pro-Russian views. Racism, discrimination against Muslims and migrants. Bigotry. You guys know, the full Trump playbook.
What we’re seeing around the world is still a dangerous trend of rising authoritarianism everywhere from the US to India and Latin America. But it’s not the rest of the world we should blame.
