Europe's Populists Aren't Going Away

Europe's revolt against politics as usual is anything but contained. Governments across the European Union were just beginning to celebrate the defeat of Austria's hard-right Freedom Party in Sunday's presidential election when the news arrived from Italy: Prime Minister Matteo Renzi will resign after his crushing defeat in the referendum on constitutional reform.

In neither case is it clear what happens next. But EU leaders need to think urgently about what they can do across the region to support orderly government in the service of liberal principles. Their failure to act up to now is the thread that ties these and other populist revolts together.