Since the ruling PiS party lost Poland’s Oct. 15 elections, a ferocious debate has raged within the party about whether to work with a new opposition-led government or do everything possible to sabotage it. How this debate within PiS is resolved could influence how other right-wing parties in Europe respond to electoral defeat.
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.
One of the reasons for the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House speaker by so-called MAGA Republicans was their opposition to sending more funding and military assistance to Ukraine amid Russia’s war there. The question this raises is: Why? Why is Ukraine aid such a common cudgel for the MAGA wing of the GOP?
