LMC 2019

The Siren Calls of Populism: The Roots of Frustration at the Dawn of the EP Elections

With the European Parliament elections taking place in one week, frustration, anger and fear are in the air. Europe’s populations increasingly distrust leaders who have been unable to deliver answers to their worries, and Eurosceptics and populist movements are projected to gain. What are the roots of these feelings? What drives populism in Europe? Why do so many feel that they are not represented by their governments? Today, when the liberal order no longer seems inevitable, what mistakes have been made by leaders? And more importantly, what lessons have been learned? What results can we expect from the EP elections and what will be the impact on the European Union and Europe more widely? How might frustration be transformed into new hope and trust? How can populations be persuaded to ignore the siren calls of populist slogans?