Why the Tea Party Is in the European Mainstream

Europe is the punching bag of the Republican primary campaign. No one has punched it harder and more frequently than Mitt Romney, the favourite for the party’s presidential nomination, who said in his victory speech after the Florida primary that this White House reflects “the worst of what Europe has become.” For Mr. Romney, the presidential election will pit a candidate who fervently agrees with European governments against one who is adamantly opposed to them.

Mr. Romney was only wrong on one thing—the identity of the party that lines up with Europe. The new transatlantic divide cuts along unfamiliar lines.

Europeans like President Barack Obama personally, support a state role in healthcare and are more at ease with Democrats culturally. However, on the major international issues of the day, Europe’s most powerful leaders are now aligned with the Republicans.

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