Can Europe Enforce Its Founding Ideals?
The union is facing pressure from right and left as it tries to preserve its values.
PARIS—When history books are written on Europe in the early 21st century, this week may stand out. Pro-independence parties gained a majority in Catalonia’s regional elections, exacerbating a constitutional crisis in Spain. This occurred just days after Poland’s defiant right-wing government pushed back against the unprecedented threat of European Union sanctions by moving ahead with changes to the judiciary that European officials say threaten the rule of law.
All politics are local—until they’re not. The developments in Poland and Catalonia stem from unique circumstances, but each case tests the European Union
