France's turmoil and papal hymn contrast with Czech lawyer's controversial council appointment

Recent events in France present a stark dichotomy: on one side, schools have burned, a Bordeaux firefighter was assaulted by a crowd of smartphone-wielding youths, and teachers faced harassment, suggesting social decay; on the other, Pope Leo XIV’s visit prompted tens of thousands, mainly young people, to sing the medieval hymn Salve Regina before the Gothic façade of Notre-Dame, highlighting a moment of unity and tradition.

The Pope called for active participation in public life even as secular forces attempt to marginalise faith, warning that promises of a “city without divine grace” lead to disillusionment. The article then turns to the Czech Republic, where lawyer Jakub Kříž, known as the “Catholic lawyer,” became a member of the Government Council for Human Rights, igniting a media frenzy that the author describes as an example of “non-democratic liberalism” that suppresses dissent.

Citing philosopher Patrick Deneen, the piece argues this ideology reshapes liberal democracy into a partisan set of obligations. It recalls the 2004 European Parliament blockage of Rocco Buttiglione’s nomination over his Catholic views as a symbolic start of this trend, suggesting Europe now faces limited alternative paths.