Who’d a-thunk it? The Assad regime collapses in Syria after 54 years. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hold on power seems undermined by imperial overstretch, and the mullahs of Iran have been unable to defend their skies and their leaders’ hotel rooms from Israeli attacks.

Leaders of the two largest nations of continental Europe have been repudiated. Germany’s coalition is on the way out after the implosion of longtime consensus policies — open doors to “refugees,” shutdown of nuclear power, and dependence on Russian natural gas. And in France, Emmanuel Macron, the man occupying the strong presidency constructed by Charles de Gaulle 66 years ago, cannot rally a parliamentary majority.