populism

Right-wing populism has been on the rise in Europe, and despite some exceptions, it doesn’t seem to be backing out. The group of people that seems to be most convinced by radical right-wing ideas is the youth - people aged 18 to 29. In the US, however, an unexpected change in this regard was initiated by Zohran Mamdani, currently mayor-elect of NYC. In the recent mayoral election 78% of people aged 18-29 voted for Mamdani, a democratic socialist.  

Are we witnessing the weakening of political parties? If that is the case, what are the effects of this phenomenon on democracy? Is there a market for centrist politics? Has the US turned populist? And what is the future for Argentina under President Javier Milei? Leszek Jazdzewski talks with Samuel Issacharoff, the Bonnie and Richard Reiss Professor of Constitutional Law at the NYU School of Law.

What is the secret of the populist narrative? Why should we shy away from liberal nostalgia? And what are some of the sources of hope for the future? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Jan-Werner Müller, a Roger Williams Straus Professor of Social Sciences and a Professor of Politics at Princeton University.

Who are the challengers to the European mainstream? What are the issues that unite and divide the challengers of the European project? And what can we learn from the Italian case and Giorgia Meloni?Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Teresa Coratella, the Deputy Head of the Rome office at the European Council on Foreign Relations’ (ECFR) Rome office. 

Who is Javier Milei? Where do his ideas come from? Where is Argentina heading under his leadership — and is it too early for books like these? Many of these questions already have answers within reach. In this review, we look at two recent publications on Javier Milei. The first is The Milei Era by Philipp Bagus. The second, Milei: The Revolution They Did Not See Coming, is co-authored by Nicolás Márquez and Marcelo Duclos.

In February 2024, Hungarian public life, previously marked by apathy, underwent a dramatic shift. A political scandal that reached the highest levels of government awakened Hungarian society. This rapid change reshaped Hungary\'s political landscape within a few months and significantly shifted voter preferences. The party system was not spared from this rapid transformation either, and it can be clearly illustrated through Sartori’s party typology.

Harassment, hate speech, violent online content, and disinformation—these are long-standing tactics of alt-right movements that are only now entering the mainstream of public debate. However, it is worth noting that women were their first targets years ago. Today, as the internet becomes increasingly radicalized and nationalist groups grow louder and more influential, we should ask: how have women fought against fascist environments?

The political processes of the past decades in Hungary have raised several questions about the role of populism, enemy formation, and political identity construction. Fidesz\'s political strategy under Viktor Orbán is a prominent example of how populism, used as a power tool, can change democratic norms while stabilizing political power.

Populist parties raise important questions but offer terrible answers, a weakness others should exploit. Populism is by no means a new phenomenon, but recent years have seen a clear rise in parties turning to a more authoritarian, populist strategy of winning over voters. Now, the populist movement has managed to establish a strong position in Europe, and although its popularity is not currently rising, it is not diminishing either.

What is the relation between culture and populism? What should we know about EU cultural policy? And what is the role of philanthropy in shaping modern culture?