The political success of Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement has sparked hopes for a similar political push in Europe, dubbed “Make Europe Great Again”. Like in the US, so in Europe, the objective of the movement is to upturn the current liberal order in Europe — centred on open borders, open markets, and supra-national institutions.

The growing connections between MAGA and MEGA conservatives highlight the deepening ideological divisions within the West that are bound to have an impact on the global landscape. Historically, Europe’s internal conflicts, such as those between capitalism and communism, have had a profound influence across the world. This time will be no different. While the recent global discourse has often framed debates as “West versus the Rest,” or the “North versus the South”, the more consequential debates are in fact within the West.

For instance, Western conservatives share common ground with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who promotes Russian nationalism and celebrates traditional Russian culture and values. Similarly, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s worldview is rooted in nationalism and a claim to an exceptional Sinic civilisation. Ironically, Russia and China once the champions of enlightenment universalism are aligned more closely with Western conservatism on nationalism, traditional values, and sovereignty. The implications of these connections remain to be seen, but they cut across many presumed fault lines of the international system today.

For now, though, the focus is on the ideological battles within the West. They culminated in Trump’s victory in the US elections last year. Europe is now facing its own challenges, including the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s advancements in........

© Indian Express