Fragmentation comes to the European Parliament. It might improve it

THE MOST eye-catching political development in Europe recently has been the surge of nationalist populism. The Brexiteers in Britain, Marine Le Pen in France and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) have transformed their countries’ political landscape. Italy and Poland are both governed by anti-establishment Eurosceptics. Viktor Orban’s political dominance in Hungary is undermining liberal democracy and enriching the strongman’s friends and cronies. Many European nationalists have borrowed tactics from President Donald Trump. Steve Bannon, Mr Trump’s one-time strategy chief, even toured the continent hoping to turn the five-yearly European Parliament election into a repeat of his ex-boss’s triumph in 2016.