Populist Leaders in Europe Reel From a Weekend of Shocks
A corruption scandal in Austria, a surprise Czech election result and Polish street protests all converged at a critical time for the European Union.
Photographer: Attila Husejnow/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
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The abrupt resignation of one leader, a shock election defeat for another, and tens of thousands of anti-government protesters flocking to the streets in one of the region’s capitals.
Central Europe is used to the odd political earthquake, but few have come together to threaten the order recently as much as in the past few days. And as Chancellor Angela Merkel steps down next door in Germany, the developments could prove critical for the European Union’s backyard.