Yet another terror attack has struck Paris, this time at the eve of one of the most volatile yet influential elections of its time.

What happened?

On Wednesday, April 20th, yet another terror attack left Paris shaken with a shootout taking place only a street block away from France’s Presidential Palace. The attack took place only days away from the next upcoming election to elect the Prime Minister of France. Adding fuel to the fire is the aspect that the Islamic state has posted videos on background websites that represent them as the masterminds behind the shooting.

France has launched full-scale investigations into the matter, as the act was initially condemned before the release of the clips as an act of terrorism against France. Counter-terrorism agents labeled the claims that were made in the videos by the Islamic State credible, labeling them as the affiliates of the act of terror and justifying France’s increasing attempts to combat the issue.

The increased traction of conservative politics is further bolstered by this event, as far-right leaders running for the position, such as Marine Le Pen, have used these events as leverage to reinforce their ideologies and further push their agendas, particularly regarding the fight against Islamic terrorism.

The desire for security is something that has virtually gotten the people of France in a vice grip, as the consistent acts of terror have led to fear to become virtually an integral part of life for the general population. Each act of terror increases the amount of fear, as the frequency of the events makes life extremely tense due to the lack of predictability of when the next potential attack may happen. Policies and precautions taken by France have been reflective of that matter, as the country has been on high alert as of late.

What does this mean?

A move towards conservatism has created a much more global polarizing community, which may serve as a global catalyst for exacerbated conflict. The increase of antagonism throughout the world may potentially be increased exponentially, due to the endorsement of anti-Islamic sentiment that is gradually gaining more and more global traction. The increased influx of conservatism may serve as the tipping point of polarized politics, as the world may as well follow an “Islam vs. The World” sentiment due to the nature of demonization.

Polarization may not be the only effect, as the proliferation of such hatred may only serve as an incentive for further incitement of violence by those considered to be extremists, as it would follow suit to the rationale. Worse yet, the polarization would place the Muslim community at the forefront of the violence much more than they already are, because the community would become persona non grata from either end of the political spectrum. Either they would be subjected to persecution due to conservative politics, or they would be murdered in cold blood by the extremists. No matter what, they are going to be the inevitable victims of the political conflicts.

Finally, yet another potential conflict arises out of the perspective that such polarized politics create a strong antagonism within contained borders, as it creates a stark division between liberal and conservative ideologies, virtually positing a global bipartisanship. Domestic violence and lack of unison, in terms of sociopolitical cohesion, can leave global superpowers extremely vulnerable and such a political shift on France may prove to be dangerous.

The global political spectrum is changing, and it seems to have rather terrifying potential outcomes.