Asset Publisher

Single title

Taking a stance against populism

by Franziska Fislage, Dr. habil. Karsten Grabow, Anna-Sophie Heinze

Experiences from Europe

Over the last few years, populist candidates and parties in Europe, not to mention on other continents, have achieved remarkable success. Some of them such as the Law and Justice Party in Poland or the Swiss People’s Party, have in fact become the strongest parties in their countries, occupying the highest state and government offices there. Populism is not a new phenomenon, however. This study examines how parties to the left and right of the centre in Europe react to their right-wing and national populist rivals.

Asset Publisher

For a long time, dealing with populists was characterised by stigmatisation, ignoring, marginalisation and exclusion, but also by insecurity, hesitation, convergence with and adoption of populist positions, and even the formation of coalitions. None of these strategies did them any lasting harm. In the recent past, however, an approach has emerged that stops populists in their tracks. It is a combination of attitude and policy that benefits and encourages people.

 

Key Facts

  • Over the last few years, populist candidates and parties have achieved remarkable success with some of them now experiencing an all-time high.
  • Populist success has been at the expense of parties to the left and right of the centre. Populists attack what has long been and continues to be important to centrist parties: cosmopolitanism, tolerance, solidarity and a united Europe. Democratic parties to the left and right of the centre cannot turn a blind eye when right-wing and national populists win over their voters and cast doubt on their achievements.
  • For a long time, interaction with populists was characterised by stigmatisation, disregard, dissociation and isolation, but also by insecurity, hesitation, approximation and adoption of populist positions all the way to the formation of coalitions. None of these strategies has undermined populists over the long-term.
  • However, in recent years, an approach has emerged that is stymieing populists. A combination of taking a stance and politics that benefits and encourages people. This is how Emmanuel Macron in France, Mark Rutte in the Netherlands and Alexander Van der Bellen and Sebastian Kurz in Austria, have been able to defeat populists.

 

You can download the entire publication as a pdf.

Asset Publisher

comment-portlet

Asset Publisher

Asset Publisher

Ordering Information

Editor

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.

erscheinungsort

Berlin Deutschland