| | | | What the World Lost in Notre Dame's Fire | | | "It's 855 years of history that have gone up in smoke," write Florian Maussion and Mathieu Quiret of Les Echos, as the Notre Dame fire has provoked an outpouring of sympathy from around the world (the Vatican expressed its "shock and sadness"; London's mayor called it "heartbreaking").
But French intellectual Bernard Henri-Levy may have summed up best what Notre Dame has constituted: "a treasure of civilization, for those who believe in heaven and for those who don't"—a symbol of "the Europe of civilization … of grandeur and softness." | | | Israel's elections may have showcased Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's skill, but they also put a "deeper" trend on display, Shlomo Avineri writes in Project Syndicate: The long decline of Israel's left. The liberal tendencies of early Zionists have been replaced, Avineri writes, after waves of immigration from the Middle East and Soviet Union have reshaped Israel's politics and society over the years; gradually, fears of Soviet-style leftism and bad memories of life in Arab countries have meant a turn away from Israel's labor left.
As a consequence of these broader changes, Israel's right will thrive long after Netanyahu, Avineri argues. | | Modi's Economics, Nationalism on the Ballot | | | Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is running on nationalism for a reason, it seems: His economic reforms haven't panned out. Despite promises of double-digit growth and a boost in manufacturing, India's economy remains mired in red tape, as Modi lost political capital and neglected to make needed changes, The Wall Street Journal writes.
India's economy is growing at 7%, but that's too slow for an emerging economy of India's size, the Journal argues. Modi has pivoted to spending programs, blurring the lines between his economic program and that of his opponents; if he wins reelection, as is likely, the Journal hopes he takes another crack at delivering on economic promises. | | Has Germany Forgotten Its Past? | | Since reunification, Germany has been a model of liberal society—but that's begun to change, Paul Hockenos writes in The New York Times. As the far-right surges in popularity, anti-Semitism and xenophobia have become normalized; speech that was scandalous a decade ago is now heard in Germany's parliament.
It suggests Germany's historical reckoning has been incomplete, Hockenos writes, as parts of the country's Nazi legacy (the Nazis' persecution of other groups, besides Jews, for instance) went ignored; now, with much of the population not even born when the Cold War ended, the past seems less immediate. It is being reconsidered, some have observed, in a way few thought possible. | | How to Stop Russia From Marching West | | The Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—have long been among the most vulnerable to Russian incursion, and a new RAND report details how the West can deter one. The key is planning a "whole of society" defense and preparing against unconventional Russian activities like information warfare; the recommended strategy includes developing national guards and paramilitary forces, educating citizens, sharing intelligence between countries, and preparing populations to resist with methods like sabotage.
The region has made progress on these fronts, the report finds, recommending NATO can step up efforts by supporting them. | | | | | | |
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