Mass political movements such as Syriza in Greece and Podemos in Spain have an obvious appeal, but in their illiberalism there is an undeniable dark sideThe recent electoral success of leftwing populist parties such as Syriza in Greece and Podemos in Spain has given a new impulse to the debate on populism in Europe. Until now, populism was almost exclusively linked to the radical right, leading to an incorrect conflation of populism and xenophobia. In its original form, populism is an ideology that considers society to be ultimately separated into two homogenous and antagonistic groups: “the pure people” and “the corrupt elite”, and argues that politics should be an expression of the volonté générale (general will) of the people. Practically, populist politicians almost always combine it with other ideologies, such as nativism on the right and socialism on the left. Related: Greece bailout talks break down after Athens rejects 'unacceptable' eurozone demands Related: Why Ernesto Laclau is the intellectual figurehead for Syriza and Podemos | Dan Hancox Continue reading...
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