Timothy Garton Ash on Europe’s Political Fragmentation

Europe is undergoing a significant political transformation characterized by the fragmentation of traditional two-party systems and the rise of hard-right populist movements. In the United Kingdom, the decline of the Conservative Party and the emergence of Reform UK mirror broader continental trends where liberal-conservative barriers are eroding. Germany faces a profound structural malaise as its post-war economic model—reliant on cheap Russian energy, American security, and Chinese markets—collapses, leaving the nation struggling with bureaucratic immobility. Meanwhile, France confronts the potential rise of Jordan Bardella, signaling a shift in the European right. While Hungary offers a rare example of democratic resilience through the electoral defeat of Viktor Orbán, the continent remains trapped between the necessity for unified European policy and the persistent, nationalistic nature of its politics, threatening a period of sudden, rather than genteel, decline.