The upcoming 2019 European parliament election is increasingly portrayed as a fundamental turning point in the process of European integration. Following electoral gains in previous European and national elections in recent years, anti-EU populist parties are expected to increase their support even further, challenging the European project at its core. How can we explain the support of these parties and what are the implications for the future of Europe?

In this talk, Daphne Halikiopoulou addresses these questions by focusing on multiple dimensions of populism. She argues that since the EP elections are considered “second order elections,” they will be used to cast protest votes, thus exaggerating the performance of niche parties. However, she argues that the implications of these elections for the European project are still significant, because of the ability of anti-EU populist parties to permeate mainstream ground and delegitimize the idea of a united Europe.

Niklas Anzinger from Dalia Research joins Daphne for a discussion and offers his insights from a European polling perspective.

This event is part of the Hertie School of Governance "Examining Populism" series, which invites speakers of different disciplinary backgrounds for discussions on the causes, effects and implications of the populist rise. It is co-chaired by Hanna Schwander, Professor of Public Policy, and Christian Flachsland, Assistant Professor of Climate and Energy Governance at the Hertie School of Governance.