The presentation is divided into two parts. First, the concept of populism is introduced, then the conditions under which populism arises are discussed. Populism is a vague term that has been defined very differently in the literature. Two concepts will be singled out – populism as ideology and populism as political strategy – and linked to each other. Key among the conditions for the rise of populism is a political crisis, or, more specifically, a crisis of representation. Facilitating conditions are an economic crisis and the political role of contemporary media. The situation with regard to the key condition vary systematically across Europe with Northwestern Europe being characterized by a long-term erosion of mainstream parties, Southern Europe being the chief victim of the Great Recession, and Central- and Eastern Europe suffering from non-institutionalized party systems.
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