The growing intertwining of domestic and international politics is
changing our understanding of both foreign relations and democratically
legitimate government. At the same time, populist parties are thriving;
they are exploiting the crisis in democracy and legitimacy, and are
challenging the status quo and the ruling elite, becoming the new
‘troublemakers’.
As the transformative impact of populism on
foreign relations has been little explored, this Report examines whether
and how the populists are shaping the debate, and what the consequences
might be for foreign policy-making in the EU.
One thing seems
certain: populism is here to stay, even if it ebbs and flows. The only
way traditional politics can respond to both left and right-wing
populists is to address the more deep-rooted malaise which is fueling
discontent among European citizens, rather than to stigmatise, mock or
ignore its symptoms, or worse still, join the chorus of complainers.
