How France Could Offer a New, Democratic Solution to Populist Concerns

2016 has been the year of the populists. The Brexit vote in the U.K., the election of Donald J. Trump in the U.S., and France's Marine Le Pen, who progressed to a runoff on Sunday, represent a victory of nationalism and a rejection of the current liberal world order, which has led to rising inequality and disconnected elites. This rejection came as a shock to the rest of the world, especially as it came from three countries that have championed globalization over the last decades.With major elections looming in France and Germany in 2017, the stakes are rising regarding the direction the major democracies in the world will take. While it would be foolish to brush off the economic and cultural distress at the root of this rejection, the solutions offered by these populist leaders will only worsen the situation. Their promises will likely widen the inequality gap and threaten our common security by closing our borders and returning to the 20th century nationalism that drove Europe to destruction.  Continue reading...