Populist Parties
How populist parties on the left and right claim to represent 'the people' against elites, and what this means for democracy.
People vs. Elites
Populism is a political style that divides society into two homogeneous groups: the 'pure people' and the 'corrupt elite.' Populist parties claim to be the sole authentic voice of the people, and they frame politics as a moral struggle between the virtuous majority and a self-serving establishment. This framing can be left-wing (Podemos, Syriza, attacking economic elites and austerity) or right-wing (National Rally, Fidesz, attacking cultural elites and immigration).
Populism is not a full ideology but a 'thin-centered ideology' that must be combined with a host ideology (nationalism, socialism, etc.) to produce a complete worldview. This is why left-populism and right-populism look so different despite sharing the people-vs-elite structure. What unites them is the claim that established parties, media, courts, and other institutions have betrayed the people and that only the populist movement can restore genuine democracy.
