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France is once again struggling with civil unrest, spurred this time by the killing of a 17-year-old young man of Algerian descent by police at a traffic stop. During a week of violent rioting, nearly a thousand shops and bank branches were looted or attacked, vehicles and buildings were burned, thousands of protesters were arrested, and hundreds of officers injured. The estimated cost of the rampage could reach $1.1 billion (CNN Business, July 5, 2023).

Now that June has ended, the so-called “Pride Month,” which celebrates LGBTQI+ behaviors and lifestyles, has concluded in the United States. During “Pride Month,” many facets of our country celebrate pride, as seen in professional sports, government, and military branches, a variety of “pride flags” flown, clothing worn, and more. This year, the White House even hung a large “Progress Pride flag” front and center at a “Pride” celebration on June 10.

Many European politicians have long prided themselves on being “centrists”—neither too far to the right nor too far to the left. Those toward the ends of the spectrum have often been viewed as extremists. But this appears to be changing.