On the surface, the outrage that greeted the EU flag flying solo under the Arc de Triomphe at the weekend was a political storm in a teacup. But it also showed that Europe will be just one of many divisive issues in the upcoming election.

The hoisting of the EU flag (and not the French one) was meant to mark the beginning of the French presidency of the Council of the EU, which kicked off on January 1. Instead, it turned into a fight over France’s history and identity and gave a sense of what is to come in the highly-charged presidential campaign that will dominate French politics until April.