The Belgian political scientist and post-Marxist is best known for her contribution to the development – jointly with Ernesto Laclau – of the Essex school of discourse analysis that focuses on redefining theories of identity and politics of the Left. Mouffe has undertaken extensive research on the rise of right-wing populism in Europe. She is currently teaching at the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom, where she directs the Centre for the Study of Democracy.
Paula Diehl is a political scientist who works for the Humboldt University Berlin. Her focus lies on political theory and sociology, as well as representation, populism and national socialism.
Daan Welling studies law at Leiden University and has a special interested in public international law and arbitration. He is also a Dutch and European debating champion with a keen interest in matters of public policy and is a debating and rhetoric coach for numerous schools and university teams in the Netherlands. His ideas and analysis can be found on his blog.
Populism is the current trending topic when one explains politics in Western countries. Though it is not a new concept, it is rising in Europe and it also managed to win hearts and minds of American people last year who chose Donald Trump to be the 45th president of the United States.
Marine Le Pen doesn’t want to reform the EU – she wants to wreck it. A look at France’s euro-skeptic figurehead and the people supporting her.
The European elections have shown how big a problem populism really is. But Cameron, Hollande and other leaders can keep the populists at bay if they start to look south.
Europe’s populists are dangerous. They dress up as democrats merely to hide their authoritarian faces.
Our best hope for proper civic engagement is state sovereignty. But many confuse it with a dangerous sense of nationalism.
For Belgian political scientist and post-Marxist Chantal Mouffe, right-wing populism is not a problem, as long as there is left-wing populism to counterbalance it. She tells Julia Korbik why populism could actually foster democracy instead of threatening it.
Populists are the predators of European democracy – and the only hope to revive it.