Christian Kloetzer
The theory of cultural backlash argues that opposition to progressive politics has given us the populist radical right. Christian Kloetzer writes that we may have to turn this logic on its head. The electorates of this party family are not consistently socially conservative. But as the German state elections in Saxony-Anhalt show, the radical right's countercultural assault increasingly channels a comprehensive rejection of all facets of cultural liberalism Read more
Vladyslav Butenko
Vladyslav Butenko argues that Brazil’s presidential race is not a contest over the size of the welfare state. Lula offers protection through cash transfers. Flávio Bolsonaro offers protection from crime. The 25 October runoff will test which promise voters trust At first glance, Brazil’s current election looks like a repeat of 2022, when Lula da […] Read more
Vera Tika
Sweden's election defeated the Tidö bloc and blocked the Sweden Democrats' route into government. Yet the restrictive political settlement they helped construct may endure. Vera Tika argues that far-right normalisation is not automatically reversed by electoral defeat: once institutionalised, illiberal change can acquire a political life of its own Read more
Zoe Gueli
Zoe Gueli argues that in Italy, the anti-Brussels rhetoric of governing right-wing party Fratelli d’Italia survives not because Italians are Eurosceptic, but because its rhetoric functions as a domestic political tool – one that EU institutions are structurally unable to counter Read more
Iohanne Holt
Last month, on Italian TV, Donald Trump recounted an exchange with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the G7 conference. Trump's claim that Meloni 'begged me to take a picture with her' earned him a sharp rebuke. Many saw this as Meloni's attempt to bolster her popularity ahead of Italy's 2027 election. But Iohanne Holt argues that Trump’s insult struck directly at the international image Meloni has so painstakingly built Read more
Vera Tika
Vera Tika argues that Europe’s populist radical right no longer operates only through parties and elections. Its growing influence lies in its ability to shape migration policy, public discourse, digital communication, and the democratic mainstream itself. Now, the populist radical right shapes the very logic through which democratic systems govern, define threats, manage borders, construct belonging, and normalise exclusion Read more
Maya Ikene
Maya Ikene argues that the Iran war is not just disrupting gas markets, but redrawing Europe's energy alliances. As Italy and Spain both rushed to buy Algerian gas, the scramble reveals an uncomfortable truth: the green transition is underway, but not fast enough to prevent the next crisis Read more
Giada Pasquettaz
Giada Pasquettaz argues that although Trump is indeed a populist, he is a distinct species within the category, and should be treated accordingly. Unlike other populist leaders, Trump does not seek to reshape multilateralism from within. Instead, he rejects it altogether Read more
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