The Relationship Between Populism and Liberal Democracy

In the last 20 years, populism has undoubtedly become a prominent political phenomenon in Europe, manifesting itself in almost every one of its states. Indeed, it has been observed how many populist parties in this region have transitioned from being labelled as “political outsiders”, to becoming among the biggest parties in their respective countries. But why has populism grown so much in such a limited period of time? Among other causes, populism is believed to be a symptom of a malfunctioning of liberal democracy. As modern societies have become increasingly complex and diverse, liberal democratic systems are perceived to be unable to conciliate its two main institutional guarantees, that is, the representation of a popular majority and the protection of minority rights. Populism upholds the representation of the popular will, which, according to populists, has been obscured by an excessive appeasement of different group and minority interests. However, scholars and political...Show moreIn the last 20 years, populism has undoubtedly become a prominent political phenomenon in Europe, manifesting itself in almost every one of its states. Indeed, it has been observed how many populist parties in this region have transitioned from being labelled as “political outsiders”, to becoming among the biggest parties in their respective countries. But why has populism grown so much in such a limited period of time? Among other causes, populism is believed to be a symptom of a malfunctioning of liberal democracy. As modern societies have become increasingly complex and diverse, liberal democratic systems are perceived to be unable to conciliate its two main institutional guarantees, that is, the representation of a popular majority and the protection of minority rights. Populism upholds the representation of the popular will, which, according to populists, has been obscured by an excessive appeasement of different group and minority interests. However, scholars and political theorists have indicated how a populist style of politics can lead to the circumvention of constitutional checks and balances in order to achieve a more efficient representation of the vox populi. This thesis seeks to answer the following question: can populism be considered as beneficial or threatening to liberal democracy? To this end, it will start with an analysis of the nature of populism which will be followed by a theoretical discussion of its potential benefits and threats to liberal democracy. This theory will be put in practice through a case study that compares the Five Star Movement (M5S) in Italy and the National Rally (RN) in France.Show less

Leiden University Student Repository

Documents

In Collections

The Relationship Between Populism and Liberal Democracy