Bangladesh, Sept. 22 -- Europe is entering a new political phase in which the far right can no longer be treated simply as a protest force operating outside the mainstream. Recent elections in Germany have demonstrated how rapidly nationalist and anti-immigration parties can expand their electoral base, while mainstream political parties struggle to respond to voters' concerns over migration, economic pressures, security and cultural identity.

The clearest warning has come from Germany. In the September 6 election in Saxony-Anhalt, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 43.8 percent of the vote, securing 39 of the state parliament's 83 seats. The party therefore fell three seats short of an outright majority, but its result was neverthel...