The Rise of Jihad in Europe: Views from France

Over the past two years, France has been struck by a string of terrorist attacks that have claimed the lives of almost 250 people. Meanwhile, the hundreds of Frenchmen who traveled to fight in Iraq and Syria are now expected to return home as the Islamic State continues to lose territory. The heightened sense of insecurity has reverberated across French society, affecting everything from the presidential election to relations with the country’s Muslim community. To discuss the continent’s deep concerns about counterterrorism, radicalized returnees, and related issues, The Washington Institute hosted a Policy Forum with Gilles Kepel, Tamara Cofman Wittes, and Matthew Levitt.