Polish Nationalists Hijack Independence Day Celebration, Worry EU

This weekend Polish nationalists took to the streets of Warsaw in record numbers, enthusiastically advocating for a return to traditional values, a disdain for the EU and its imposition of political will from afar, and its hostility to Islam and settling refugees in Poland. The Law and Justice party in Poland, which controls both houses of Congress and the Prime Minister, has soared in popularity, blending traditional Catholicism, economic interventionism, anti-immigration rhetoric, and right-wing populism. Antifa hosted a much smaller rally, estimated to number around 5,000 people. As Polish nationalism seems to veer closer towards fascism, Brussels is certain to worry. The eurozone crisis, the refugee problem, and a spate of terrorist attacks are likely to only further exacerbate the divide between Eastern and Western Europe in the years to come.