In the face of major crises as well as threats from Russia and extremists, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made an urgent plea for a strong and united Europe. “The European Union cannot be taken for granted,” she said on Friday evening at the closing rally for the German conservative CDU/CSU bloc in Munich. A peaceful Europe is being challenged by populists, extremists and demagogues, such as the right-wing nationalist Marine Le Pen in France and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Germany. “These extremists have one thing in common: they want to weaken, destroy and rui…