Populism is a dirty word in EU capitals. It implies demagoguery, disrespect for constitutional arrangements, and shades of authoritarianism. The shadow of Europe’s long 20th century, when dictators justified their actions with appeals to the “will of the people”, still falls across the continent. Yet, in rejecting populism, has the EU fallen into the trap of appearing too distant and technocratic?
We had a comment from Craig arguing that the EU should “really embrace European identity, particularly concerning immigration”. In other words, if you want to beat the populists you have to become a populist.
Many would argue the EU is already embracing populism. Governments across the continent, for example, are keen to be seen to take a hard line on immigration. But will borrowing policies from so-called populist parties reassure people that public concerns are being taken seriously? Will it “neutralise extremism“? Or are politicians who embrace the populist agenda riding a tiger?
To get a response, we took Craig’s comment to some of the speakers at State of Europe 2017, the high level roundtable event in Brussels organised by our partner think tank, Friends of Europe. We put his question to Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister of Sweden. Here’s what he had to say:
Should the EU embrace a more populist agenda? Is the European project too distant and technocratic? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
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YES…. NOW IT IS TIME
EU is working against its people. Its time to listen to its people and protect them. Also lock up all thos politicians that allowed terror in
Nah, protecting own people would be populist while protecting terrorists is democratic.
the EU has been promoting a populist agenda for the past 30 years or so; it’s called socialism
You say socialism as if it were a bad thing. Were you born and raised in Europe?
Yes, I was, and stealing is a bad thing no matter what positive side effects it might have…
Considering social policy “stealing” underline a profound ignorance of economics, politics and basic logic…
How could be a mutual help considered stealing?
According to this view all taxes are stealing. Which is bullshit. And i am not ok with that.
Taxes exist to redistribute wealth, make gov work and create services..
N.b. obviously i am not poundering if taxes are used well or not.
Question is, are populists and demagogues even ‘democratic’.
Kindly look up *democracy* in an encyclopedia.
Kindly think for yourself and think about what democracy was meant to be and what it is.
There’s a fine line between an educated democracy and democracy as a birth right.
In the sick minds of Brussels bureocrats, everything different from their neoliberal agenda is populism.
Please dont call them liberals. This term has been stolen by them. They are not much more than socialists. True liberals defend the freedoms whereas they keep freedom a slave of ideology.
More populist = for the people.
Sure. Any day.
I just hope it will not be some creeps who declare what’s “good for the people”.
Populism = Nationalism so how can the EU adopt ‘Nationalism’ when its goal is to destroy it ?
I wonder what comrade Putin opines on the topic.
And btw, no two words have the exact meaning. Therefore, you cannot use an equation mark between them. I didn’t think you would know.
Populist hey??? Nice label.
Ray GP
Es el camino correcto. (…) “if you want to beat the populists you have to become a populist.”
Populism could also mean giving people what they want. But people can also be educated, influenced, illuminated, inspired, guided towards concrete – and higher – goals. (My two cents.)
Cheers mate!
POPUISM — WOULD NOT BE THE RIGHT TERMINOLLOGY BECOUSE OF THE PAST DEEP HISTORY OF IT, LOOKS LIKE OLD COMUNZUM ERA—- THE NEW IDEA OF GIVE THE POWER TO THE PEOPLE MEANS ORGANISE THEIR RIGHTS AND MAKE THAM VOTE THE BEST INTEREST FULLY AGREED WITH THEIR OWN COMBINATION, NUMBER SIZE RATE ECT….. AT THE END IS A POWER OF INTEREST HAVE THE CONTROL THE BORD. AFTER THIS IT IS NOT ONLY THE ECCONOMICAL PAWER TO FACE THE WORLD AND BORD OF POLITICAL FACES……. SURCHING FOR THE BEST BALANCE AND DINAMIQUE
Thomas de Roeper fantastische argumenten dit dude!! Powar to te pepple!!
That summarizes it very well, Raul. Powar to the Peppa!
Mostly hard and to linguistic to be explained ha ha ha. I write with the wrong heand
I improoved my gramatique boyes… sorry
POPULISUM — WOULD NOT BE THE RIGHT TERMINOLLOGY BECOUSE OF THE PAST DEEP HISTORY OF IT.
LOOKS LIKE OLD COMUNISUM TIME — THE NEW IDEA OF GIVING THE POWER TO THE PEOPLE MEANS ORGANISE THEIR RIGHTS AND MAKE THAM VOTE THE BEST INTEREST FULLY AGREED WITH THEIR OWN COMBINATION, NUMBER SIZE RATE ECT….. AT THE END IT IS A POWER OF INTEREST HAVING THE CONTROL WHICH IS THE BORD. AFTER THIS, IT IS NOT ONLY THE ECCONOMICAL POWER TO FACE THE WORLD AND BORD OF POLITICAL FACES……. SURCHING FOR THE BEST BALANCE AND DINAMIQUE
NO!!
Define “populiste” pls
Nop. Populism is cancer, a stupid cancer by the way.
pop·u·lism
noun
“support for the concerns of ordinary people.”
Um cancro horrivel de facto….
Please tell me of a populist leader that actualy cared about “the concerns of ordinary people”…
I’ll wait.
Such a leader would then not be a populist now, would they?
Common sense agenda, would be great!!!
If you ask the question that way, nobody is going to say YES. Populist is a new word which has been adopted to label all the anti-establishment instances, ideas or movements. If you criticize the establishment, you become automatically a populist, even though your criticisms make perfectly sense. So, what does it mean adopting a populist agenda?
What Europe should do is to put an end to the European Union and return to the EEC.
Should the EU embrace a more populist agenda?
This line you chose here is a PC way of discrediting the citizens feelings and views on matters concerning them collectively. Are you suggesting that to disagree with EU officials on issues of any kind denotes ‘stupidity’ or some kind of mass mistake? Perhaps ideas they arrived at via some kind of deviant input.
What a crock you do try to shove out.
So called populist views are arrived at by the experience and knowledge of daily life in the EU which does not suit or come up to the expectations of civilised citizens in this continental land mass. To refer to them as populist is a put down and is meant to be.
The EU cannot embrace a more suitable policy to satisfy the people it rules over because it has an agenda already in place. And to deviate from that agenda will not be tolerated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udx7vqbhmHg
More Europe means more ruin. The leaders have led us down a path of deliberate mass destruction. They simply want to hasten their objective as they feel they have been rumbled and that the people will not go along with their demise any longer. .
As long as the ‘populist agenda’ agrees with what Germany wants!
The return of the dicktators.
Yes: positive populism only.
pop·u·lism
noun
“support for the concerns of ordinary people.”
What’s wrong with that….
Are you sure you mean populist and not popular?
Yes
Hell no
Nah
European countries extended social secutrity to counteract URSS, and I think most people like having it. So why no embrace some social policies to reduce social dissatisfaction and prevent the most extremist ideologies taking more power?
Yes, the more support the faster the reform
it’s populist, conservative, dictatorial, bureaucratic and far from citizens already. It’s time to make it more democratic
Populism is a word used when people reject the ideas of the inflate ruling class. Europeans like the idea of a collective of unique European Nations that co operate through the EU. The EU has been infected with a globalist agenda which flies in the face of that European sense of community. The EU should represent Europeans. The exit of GB is a symptom of their poor leadership, they caused it, just as they are causing a more ” popular” rejection of globalists business and non European interests. To many Europeans they do not seem to identify with Europe
EU should embrace common sense approach… We should ask ourselves where we are going … In USA 55% of white people says that they are racially discriminated imagine what will happened with EU if 55% of white EU citizens start to feel racial discrimination http://www.npr.org/assets/img/2017/10/23/discriminationpoll-whites-tablesxyz.pdf
What is populism? Strict border control and limited immigration (based on merits)or protecting your culture and business interests is populism. In the same time unfeasable stuff like world peace, feeding everyone who doesnt want to work, a future without conflicts on Earth and a society where all are equal (if you ask the EU Commision everyone should be equally tall) is not populism, right? Well ladies and gentleman, I think we have different concepts of what populism is.
The agencies and directorates should employ better PR people.
freedom for catalonia,
If by populist agenda they mean the citizens’ interests, then yes!
The EU?? It can’t!
It is bound by a cobweb of Treaties, Acts & Accords and drowning in a sea of present & ever newly made regulations, supported by an army of loyal bureaucrats embracing whatever is considered pc!
One can’t even agree on a “harmonized meaning” what is “populist” is- without cooking up a hurricane of abuse and counter abuse- never mind changing anything!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populism
Nowadays a new human genome variety “populus eu-ropuli” seems to take great pleasure to “traumatize” the outdated vox populi with their elitist concepts- of eventual global governance & domination by a few.
No.
Populist agendas change every day. Europe must embrace the values it was founded on.
Which values??? The EU fucked up! once I loved the EU, now, well the sooner this sh*t ends, the better for all of us!
Europe was definitely not founded on liberal progressivism. Not some communist style global borderless utopia. You can find the values of European people and Europe only in it’s history. Especially prior to 20th century.
blessed are the ignorant
Say no to the Westphalian principle and mentally. Say no to NationStates!
#OneEurope #Onepeople #ManyCultures #Onelove
The EU fucked up! once I loved the EU, now, well the sooner this sh*t ends, the better for all of us!
Then do something to change, what you do not like.
Geoffrey, Your line of say no to nation states is part of why everyone is fleeing from eu and things wont improve in any foreseeable future. Communists said the same of melting the borders. This ideology failed massively so will Yours/theirs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1Q0vPy3lH8
Should this “E.U.” …”Ask People First” ?
Interesting
The people of the EU should set up peoples courts for each country and prosecute the criminals in their governments…that would be a good start.
EU shall not move towards populism which at the end leads to nationalism and the dramas we have seen in the last centuries. Those who are pushing for that are either short sighted and lacking of political consciousness or just populist themselves. The arguments that people oppose to Europe is that it is too buraucratic. This is partly right but can be solved not jumping in the populism. We will stand up!
Well its a bit late for that . If the EU had been a bit more populist it may have got some more support . Its policies have created the populist movement across the continent ,people want small government and less being old what to do by unelected bureaucrats . Its failure to deal with any ‘crisis’ it has created has long confirmed to me that its days are numbered , it will fail as an political entity as sure as the USSR failed .
There is nothing to fear from Nationalism if we all embrace it , it is only a problem if left to the extremists
What do you mean by a populist agenda?
Make Europe Great Again !!!!!!
Absolutely now. The biggest threat to democracy is power ceding to the mob.
Hi Karolina, ………interesting notion! The fine dividing lines of words: “mob”= Mobsters= “Commissions”= Elites= Pretenders= Schemers= Dealers= Tax avoiders= Panama papers+++ or “the ordinary, dumb & uneducated ” vox populi of yesteryear? Interesting nuances- or an easy & simply choice- black or white?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Commission_(mafia)
I meant absolutely not! Your trail of thought is yours and subjective. It does not reflect actual meanings of words as defined in a dictionary and assigned to by the majority of users.
Karolina, I am glad you corrected what you actually meant! Thank you.
JUST A CATCHY MEANINGLESS PHRASE.
EU need to be democratic and stop been a Dictature. need to have election to elect the president of EU. if EU want to survive.
if EU want to Survive. make election to elect the president of EU, the bruxells dictature is afraid of the Vote, dictators in bruxells are afraid of democracy
It depends what is meant with the word “populism”.
If this means nationalism, more power for the local governments and less power for the EU – definitely NO. Local governments and societies in Eastern Europe are more or less corrupted and controlled by the local criminal elites. They play with the masses with anti EU nationalistic and populistic rhetorics, addressed especially to the undereducated ones, in order to undermine the EU control over their affairs, their corruption and anti democratic means to shape the societies according their will.