Studium Generale: Populist Politicians in Power - Paul Taggart

Populist politicians thrive on being in opposition as their ideas often challenge and oppose the establishment. At the same time, it is a widespread misconception that populists in power are doomed to fail. But what exactly happens when populist politicians move into positions of power? Which strategies do they develop? Do populists in office maintain their credentials, or do they moderate and abandon their political agenda? Are they able to change the political landscape? Professor of Politics Paul Taggart identifies different patterns of behavior of populists in the office, and shows how the anti-establishment element can provide a particular challenge for populists, once they have become part of the establishment. He draws on the variety of recent experiences of populism in power across the world, from Italy’s veer to the right to the rise of populism in Latin America. 

The lecture will be chaired by Léonie de Jonge, Assistant Professor in European Politics & Society at the University of Groningen. She was recently appointed member of "De Jonge Akademie" of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.