Right Wins, Left Riots

Hi Global Recap readers,

While I didn’t intend for today’s newsletter to focus so much on Islam, it naturally turned out that way.

Maybe it reflects the current zeitgeist, where many are becoming more vocal in questioning the compatibility of Islam in the West.

Do you also feel like this is the case? Let us know. 👇

🇫🇷 France
Right Wins, Left Riots

France is facing a pivotal moment with the potential to see a conservative government, following a surprising lead by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party in the first round of legislative elections.

🔘 Election Results: The National Rally party has taken a strong lead in the first round, securing about one-third of the votes.

• This puts them in a favorable position for the second round, where they could potentially win a majority in the National Assembly

• The New Popular Front coalition came in second, followed by President Macron’s centrist alliance.

🔘 Complex Voting System: France’s legislative elections are not straightforward.

• Legislators are elected by district.

• Some candidates have already been elected outright by winning over 50% of the vote in their districts.

• Candidates who don’t secure a 50% majority, but manage to get at least 12.5% of the vote, move on to the second round. If no candidate meets this criterion, the top two contenders proceed to the second round.

• The second round is on July 7.

🔘 Potential Outcomes: If the National Rally wins a majority, Macron will have to appoint a prime minister from this party, leading to a “cohabitation” where the government’s policies diverge from the president’s.

• This candidate is Jordan Bardella, who replaced Le Pen as the party’s president.

• Macron’s centrist alliance and the left-wing coalition are considering tactical withdrawals to block National Rally’s candidates.

Riot

France is not only famous for its delightful cheese and wine, but also for its notable protests and riots.

Following the victory of Le Pen’s party, thousands of left-leaning citizens took to the streets, vandalizing and setting fires.

Le Pen

So, Who is Le Pen?

Is she really the horrible “far-right” politician that the media portrays her to be?

Here are some of her positions on various issues:

• Strict immigration policies.

• Revoking the nationality of dual citizens with radical Islamist affiliations and expelling them.

• Closing radical mosques and expelling their clerics.

• Withdrawing from NATO and distancing France from US influence.

• Advocating for economic protectionism.

While Le Pen has moderated some of her more hardline policies over the years, she is still expected to uphold the core of her views.

Now, some of you may think singling out “radical Islamists” may be a bit odd, but you have to understand what France had to deal with over the years.

Remember the Charlie Hebdo terrorist shootings, when Islamic terrorists executed the magazine’s employees in broad daylight for satirically depicting Mohammed?

Remember the November 2015 Paris attacks where Islamic terrorists killed over 130 people?

How about the beheading of a teacher for showing a cartoon of Mohammed in class?

Since then, numerous incidents involving illegal immigrants have further fueled the growing anger toward them and the politicians who have made native French citizens feel alienated.

Although some may still view these incidents as outliers, there is no doubt that many are now questioning whether Islamic culture and religion are compatible with Western culture.

Take a look at Muslims praying in the middle of Times Square.

• Some argue it’s merely a public display of religion, while others see it as a demonstration of dominance, given the abundance of mosques available for such practices and its prevalence in many other countries.

• Even some Muslims in the comments section question the inappropriateness of this.

• However, some also draw comparisons to public prayers among Christians and Catholics. What do you think? 👇

Another example where compatibility is questioned is the need for Western women to wear head coverings in Islamic states during diplomatic meetings.

• Some view it as a mark of respect.

• However, there’s a counter-argument that questions the necessity of this practice, especially when Muslim visitors in Western countries don’t follow Western customs, given that these countries uphold “freedom of religion.”

Le Pen even canceled a diplomatic meeting over it:

🇺🇸 United States
Biden Family Pointing Fingers

President Joe Biden’s recent debate performance has sparked significant internal criticism and concern within his campaign team and family.

🔘 Family Concerns: Although critics universally panned Biden for his lackluster performance, Biden’s family is unhappy with his campaign advisers, blaming them for his poor debate showing.

• They believe he was not well-prepared to attack and spent too much time defending his record.

• Despite this, two family members are strongly urging Joe Biden to stay in the race: his son Hunter, and the First Lady, Jill.

• Although the reasons for their urging are unclear, many online speculate it is related to Hunter’s recent conviction.

🔘 Campaign Tensions: There is also internal finger-pointing among Biden’s staff, with some blaming the debate moderators and others criticizing the preparation process.

• The campaign staff is also frustrated with CNN’s handling of the debate.

🇺🇸 United States
US Military Bases on High Alert

Several US military bases in Europe have heightened their security alert to Force Protection Condition “Charlie,” indicating a significant terror threat.

🔘 Heightened Security: US military bases across Europe have raised their security alert levels due to a significant terror threat.

• This move, the second highest alert level in the US Army’s system, was implemented over the weekend.

• The US European Command (USEUCOM) is constantly evaluating security factors to ensure the safety of personnel and their families.

🔘 Precautions: European countries, including Germany and France, have ramped up security measures ahead of major events like the Paris Olympics and European football championships.

• Germany has deployed 580 international police officers, while France has raised its national security alert to the highest level since March.

🔘 Vigilance: Authorities advise vigilance amid these heightened threat levels.

• The US embassy in France noted that “French authorities actively monitor terrorist threats from organized groups and radicalized individuals,” warning that attacks may target public areas with large crowds.

🇳🇬 Nigeria
Deadly Suicide Bombings

Over the weekend, Nigeria experienced a series of suicide bombings that resulted in significant loss of life and injuries.

🔘 Attacks: The first attack was carried out by a woman who detonated her explosives at a wedding reception, killing herself and many others.

• Shortly after, another bomber targeted a nearby burial ceremony, followed by a third explosion, leading to more casualties.

🔘 Casualties: At least 30 people were killed, and more than 100 were injured in these coordinated attacks. The incidents have left the community in shock and mourning.

🔘 Background: Borno state has been a hotspot for a 15-year insurgency by Boko Haram Islamist militants, displacing over two million people and killing more than 40,000.

• No group has claimed responsibility.

• However, Boko Haram has a history of using female suicide bombers, with speculations that some may be the missing Chibok schoolgirls.

🇨🇳 China
Chinese Rocket Crash

A Chinese private company’s rocket accidentally launched during a test and crashed into a hillside, causing a fire but no casualties.

🔘 Incident: The Tianlong-3 rocket from Space Pioneer experienced a structural failure during a test, leading to an unplanned launch and crash near Gongyi city.

• The rocket ignited normally but detached from the test bench, causing it to fall and explode.

🔘 Response: Local authorities reported that the fire caused by the crash was quickly extinguished, and no injuries were reported.

• The rocket parts were reportedly scattered within a designated "safe area."

🔘 Background: Space Pioneer is one of several private Chinese companies developing reusable rockets to reduce mission costs.

• The Tianlong-3 is comparable to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, and this incident marks a rare failure in China’s rapidly growing commercial space sector.

🇭🇺 Hungary
Hungary’s EU Presidency

Hungary is taking up the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, and it’s set to be an interesting six months with Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the helm.

🔘 Leadership: Hungary will lead the EU for the next six months, shaping its agenda and setting its tone.

• The country’s slogan, “Make Europe Great Again,” hints at a provocative approach.

🔘 Controversy: Orban’s leadership is controversial, in the European Union.

• He has been unpopular due to his stance on financial support for Ukraine and his broader political views, that go against the mainstream EU narrative.

• Critics argue that Hungary’s current state wouldn’t meet the EU’s accession criteria.

🔘 Agenda: Despite the controversy, Hungary’s official agenda includes mainstream goals like curbing migration, improving EU competitiveness, and bolstering European defense.

• However, there’s skepticism about how much Hungary can achieve due to the nature of the rotating presidency and the current political climate.