Democratic Defence as Normal Politics, Gebunden

Klappentext

Populist parties in Europe attract many more votes than they did just a few

decades ago and are now much more likely to govern. They have also become key

players in the international sphere. At the same time, the relationship between

democracy and populism is subject to substantial scholarly and public debate.

This raises questions about opposition to this controversial set of political

actors: do opponents favour the use of rights-restricting and

exclusionary repertoires typical of militant democracy responses to anti-

democratic or extremist parties? Or do opponents favour the ordinary, persuasive

and sometimes inclusive strategies more typical of the daily conduct of liberal

democratic politics? To what extent is opposition conceived of as democratic

defence? How do strategies vary among countries and in relation to different

types of populist parties? How do international and transnational actors respond?

Addressing these questions, the book presents new research mapping opposition

to the Hungarian Civic Alliance (Fidesz), Law and Justice in Poland, Alternative for

Germany, League and Five Start Movement in Italy, Podemos and Vox in Spain,

the Sweden Democrats and the Danish People s Party. It argues that opposition

to populist parties in contemporary Europe is, in most cases, best conceived of as

democratic defence as normal politics. That is, while there is no direct link

between populism and a decline in democratic quality, critical claims justifying

acts of opposition often problematise populist parties as threats to

liberal democratic principles and values. At the same time, opponents are

more likely to respond to populist parties using the repertoires of normal

politics or strategies typically employed against less controversial

groupings than the exceptional, rights-restricting instruments typically used

against extremists. The case of Alternative for Germany, in which exceptional

politics continues to guide much opposition, remains a case apart.