Jan Philipp Thomeczek
Jan Philipp Thomeczek argues that European left-wing populist parties become more moderate as a consequence of their participation in government. Here, he draws on recent examples from Spain, Greece and Germany. Read more
Giorgos Venizelos
'Populism' and 'power' have an uneasy relationship. Key texts reveal three assumptions about populism's 'fate' in power: first, it becomes mainstream; second, it turns authoritarian; third, it fails/succeeds to implement policies. Giorgos Venizelos argues we must look beyond the myths about populism's content or outcomes, and turn instead to populism's function of constructing collective identities through discursive / affective performativity Read more
Vladimir Bortun
Some of the most successful radical left parties of the past decade are not really radical, argues Vladimir Bortun. These parties do not display the anti-capitalism that defines the radical left, but rather a socio-economic agenda akin to post-WWII social democracy. Labelling this neo-reformist left 'radical' is deeply problematic, conceptually and politically Read more
Alexandros Kyriakidis
Alexandros Kyriakidis argues that the era of political and financial crisis in Greece that spanned a decade seems to be coming to a close with the recent elections. This is demonstrated most vividly by the decline of SYRIZA, the party most closely associated with the anti-financial programme agenda Read more
Susannah Verney
The Greek election of May 2023 produced an unexpected destabilisation of the party system, and triggered a repeat election to be held five weeks later. Susannah Verney argues that the poll was variously viewed by voters as a second order election and a ‘system-defining’ choice Read more
The Loop
Cutting-edge analysis showcasing the work of the political science discipline at its best.