Populist is an inadequate term to describe Europe’s surging breed of politician who believes that everything would be better again if borders regained their old strength. Here’s how they could be tackled.
© REUTERS/Axel Schmidt
The use of the word “populist” to define and characterize the new boogeymen of European politics clearly shows that there is something wrong with how they are discussed. The term implies that they are merely listening to the will of the people – and what could be wrong with politicians and parties listening to the people? Nothing, of course. What is disturbing and shocking about today’s populists is not that they listen to the general populace (which they often do not actually do); the problem lies in the fact that they do not offer viable solutions to political problems. …
Read more in the Berlin Policy Journal App – September/October 2016 issue.
