As is often the case when faced with an unexpected crisis, infighting hampered the EU’s ability to respond to the Israel-Hamas war. Critics pointed to the disarray as proof that the EU can never become a truly geopolitical actor. But once the EU finds its feet, its long-term responses to new challenges can prove remarkably resilient.
The belief that the U.S. and France have radically different approaches to secularism and the separation of church and state is now widespread, deeply entrenched—and wrong. In fact, the source of this dispute emerged relatively recently, and it represented a significant shift in the emphasis of French laïcité: the headscarf law of 2004.
Last week, Spain’s right-wing parties failed in their bid to form a government following the country’s inconclusive elections in July. All eyes are now on acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to see how far he is willing to go to secure the support of regional parties he’ll need to win another term that once seemed all but impossible.