
Prof. Reed: The Structural Contradictions That Gave Rise to Trumpism Remain Unresolved
As the United States approaches the 2026 midterm elections, Professor Adolph Reed Jr. offers a critical political-economic interpretation of Trumpism, ...

Prof. Sátyro: Bolsonarismo Has Already Become Bigger Than Bolsonaro Himself
In an interview with ECPS, Professor Natália Sátyro argues that Brazil’s 2026 presidential election reflects a conflict extending far beyond the Lula–Flávio ...

Assoc. Prof. Casarões: What Really Died on October 4 Was Brazil’s Democratic Pact Itself
Associate Professor Guilherme Casarões argues Brazil’s October 4 election marks more than a contest between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ...

Dr. Suda: The Answer to the AfD Is Not Ending the Firewall or Copying Its Agenda, but Delivering for Voters
In this ECPS interview, Dr. Sophie Suda, Postdoctoral Researcher in Comparative Politics at the University of Basel, examines the AfD’s ...

Prof. Kenworthy: Trumpism Could Disappear If a More Appealing Agenda Comes Along
Ahead of the 2026 US midterms, Professor Lane Kenworthy argues that Trumpism’s apparent dominance should not be mistaken for permanence. ...

The Bukele Model: Populist Power, Judicial Erosion, and Authoritarian Consolidation in El Salvador
In this commentary, Dr. Lilliam Arrieta examines how Nayib Bukele’s rise in El Salvador illustrates the speed with which elected ...

India’s Gen Z Cockroach Protests: Youth Mobilization, Democratic Dissent, and the Limits of Modi’s Populism
Dr. Amir Ali examines the emergence of India's Cockroach Janata Party protests as the country's first distinctive Gen Z protest ...

From Conspiracy Theory to State Policy: Trump, MAGA, and the Specter of ‘Cultural Marxism’
US President Donald Trump's intervention in the Smithsonian Institution signals a new phase in America's culture wars. In this insightful ...

MEP Benifei: An Alliance of Interests Between the Extreme Right and Techno-Oligarchs Threatens Our Democracies
MEP Brando Benifei warns that Europe’s struggle for technological sovereignty is inseparable from the defense of democracy. In this ECPS ...

The Nine Ps of Digital Populism as a Chameleonic Political Marketing Strategy
In this commentary, Dr. Ana Filipa Joaquim develops a political-marketing framework for understanding the adaptive power of digital populism. Drawing ...

From Mobility Inequality to Populist Grievance: Passport Privilege, Travel Influencers, and the Politics of the Digital Tourist Gaze
In this commentary, author Zeynep Temel examines how passport hierarchies and unequal mobility shape not only who can travel, but ...

From Mass Parties to Digital Bubbles: How Young Europeans Encounter Politics
In this commentary, Filippo Palmieri examines how digital platforms are reshaping the political socialization of young Europeans. As mass parties ...

The Hidden Cost of AI: Our Climate, Our Children, Our Future
In this Voice of Youth (VoY) piece, Emaan Zahra examines the intertwined environmental and developmental costs of the rapid expansion ...

Long Read — The Economist versus Acemoglu: Who Will Govern the Next World Order?
Professor Ibrahim Ozturk examines the deeper political economy behind The Economist’s recent critique of Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu, arguing that ...

India’s Gen Z Cockroach Protests: Youth Mobilization, Democratic Dissent, and the Limits of Modi’s Populism
Dr. Amir Ali examines the emergence of India's Cockroach Janata Party protests as the country's first distinctive Gen Z protest ...

From Wealth Concentration to Anti-Immigrant Populism: The Strategic Alliance Between Super-Rich and the Far Right
Why do some of the world's wealthiest individuals openly support populist radical right and far-right movements whose central political message ...

Who Pays to Adapt? Climate Debt and Populist Politics of Climate Justice in Africa
In this commentary, Dr. Oludele Mayowa Solaja uses the concept of “climate debt populism” to examine how climate vulnerability, sovereign ...

Stealing from the Future: Erdogan’s Medium-Term Program and Economic Populism for Electoral Survival
Professor Ibrahim Ozturk argues that Turkey’s 2027–2029 Medium-Term Program is less a credible development strategy than a politically sequenced exercise ...

From Tariffs to Conditional Integration: An EU Strategy for Chinese Electric-Vehicle Investment under the Industrial Accelerator Act*
DOWNLOAD POLICY PAPER Please cite as: Yang, Li; Yeh, Ray; Raza, Hassan; Abdelbaki, Mohamed; Incani, Noemi; Koleszar, Réka; Ruttencutter, Sarah ...

Long Read — The Economist versus Acemoglu: Who Will Govern the Next World Order?
Professor Ibrahim Ozturk examines the deeper political economy behind The Economist’s recent critique of Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu, arguing that ...

From Wealth Concentration to Anti-Immigrant Populism: The Strategic Alliance Between Super-Rich and the Far Right
Why do some of the world's wealthiest individuals openly support populist radical right and far-right movements whose central political message ...

ECPS Academy Summer School — Europe Between Oceans: The Future of the EU Trade Between the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific (July 6-10, 2026)
CASE COMPETITION INFO-PACK Are you interested in global trade politics and the future of Europe in a shifting world order? ...

ECPS Academy Summer School — Prof. Markus Kotzur: Can the EU lead? Policy Tools, Regulatory Power, and Global Influence
Professor Markus Kotzur's lecture explored one of the defining questions of contemporary European integration: can the European Union translate its ...

ECPS Academy Summer School — Prof. Axel Berkofsky: EU-Japan Relations and Populism
Japan has long been regarded as an outlier in comparative studies of populism, distinguished by political stability, Liberal Democratic Party ...

Who Pays to Adapt? Climate Debt and Populist Politics of Climate Justice in Africa
In this commentary, Dr. Oludele Mayowa Solaja uses the concept of “climate debt populism” to examine how climate vulnerability, sovereign ...

ECPS Joins TRACE, a New EU-Funded Project on Colonial Legacies and Climate Vulnerability
ECPS has joined TRACE – Tracing Colonial Legacies in Climate Vulnerabilities, a new 24-month project funded by the European Union’s ...

Green Colonialism or Green Sovereignty? Africa’s Critical Minerals and the Politics of the Energy Transition
Africa’s centrality to the global energy transition rests increasingly on its vast reserves of critical minerals, yet mineral abundance alone ...

The Hidden Cost of AI: Our Climate, Our Children, Our Future
In this Voice of Youth (VoY) piece, Emaan Zahra examines the intertwined environmental and developmental costs of the rapid expansion ...

When the Global South Says ‘No’: Waste Sovereignty and the New Geography of Environmental Security
In this commentary, Dr. Oludele Solaja argues that waste is no longer merely an environmental management problem but an emerging ...

Why Environmental Displacement Is the Next Frontier in Populist Politics
As climate change increasingly reshapes patterns of human mobility, it is also transforming the political foundations of democratic citizenship. In ...

Decolonizing Climate Governance: Why Indigenous Knowledge Remains on the Margins of Global Climate Action
As climate change intensifies, global climate governance increasingly acknowledges the value of Indigenous knowledge while continuing to marginalize Indigenous peoples ...

Data and Drought: A Community Fights Back
As artificial intelligence drives an unprecedented expansion of data-center infrastructure, questions of climate sustainability, democratic accountability, and technological governance are ...

MEP Gedin: The EU Is Losing Its Voice When It Comes to Upholding International Law
MEP Hanna Gedin argues that the EU’s credibility as a defender of democracy, human rights, and international law is being ...

MEP Benifei: An Alliance of Interests Between the Extreme Right and Techno-Oligarchs Threatens Our Democracies
MEP Brando Benifei warns that Europe’s struggle for technological sovereignty is inseparable from the defense of democracy. In this ECPS ...

The Antifeminist Paradox: Eduarda Campopiano and the Political Rewards of Reaction in Brazil
The electoral rise of Eduarda Campopiano illustrates how female political entrepreneurship, antifeminism, and cultural backlash converge in contemporary Brazil. Beyond ...

France’s Student Protests: A Generation Catching Fire
In this Voice of Youth (VoY) commentary, Emmanouela Papapavlou reflects on the wave of student protests sweeping France and asks ...

Dr. Varriale: Academics Should Engage Public Debate Without Turning Scholarship into Political Activism
In this ECPS Voice of Youth (VoY) interview, Dr. Amedeo Varriale reflects on the study of populism, the responsibilities of ...

Assoc. Prof. Beauchamp: Democratic Socialism Could Have a MAGA-Sized Effect Without Winning Majority Support Nationally
In this ECPS interview, Associate Professor Nick Beauchamp of Northeastern University examines the evolving relationship between MAGA, democratic socialism, political ...

Assoc. Prof. Loxbo: Sweden Has Become an Extreme Case of Radical-Right Mainstreaming
In this ECPS interview, Associate Professor Karl Loxbo of Stockholm University examines Sweden as an increasingly striking case of radical-right mainstreaming. He ...

Dr. Suda: The Answer to the AfD Is Not Ending the Firewall or Copying Its Agenda, but Delivering for Voters
In this ECPS interview, Dr. Sophie Suda, Postdoctoral Researcher in Comparative Politics at the University of Basel, examines the AfD’s ...

MEP Gedin: The EU Is Losing Its Voice When It Comes to Upholding International Law
MEP Hanna Gedin argues that the EU’s credibility as a defender of democracy, human rights, and international law is being ...

The Antifeminist Paradox: Eduarda Campopiano and the Political Rewards of Reaction in Brazil
The electoral rise of Eduarda Campopiano illustrates how female political entrepreneurship, antifeminism, and cultural backlash converge in contemporary Brazil. Beyond ...

Prof. Sátyro: Bolsonarismo Has Already Become Bigger Than Bolsonaro Himself
In an interview with ECPS, Professor Natália Sátyro argues that Brazil’s 2026 presidential election reflects a conflict extending far beyond the Lula–Flávio ...

Demographic Populism: Demography as a Political Battleground
Please cite as:ECPS Staff. (2026). “Demographic Populism: Demography as a Political Battleground.” European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS). October 2, ...

ECPS Panel on Demographic Populism: Demography as a Political Battleground: Migration, Family, Race, Religion, and Radical-Right Populism
Date/Time: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 – 16:15-18:30 (CET) Click here to register! Moderator Klaudia Koxha (Postdoctoral Fellow at the University ...

From ‘My Family Is Safe’ to Gendered Authoritarianism: Redrawing the Boundaries of Belonging in Turkey
In this commentary, Dr. Hafza Girdap examines Turkey’s intensifying anti-gender politics through the interconnected concepts of gendered populism, gendered authoritarianism, and differentiated ...

Dr. Valverde: Autocracies See Independent Civic Space Itself as a Strategic Threat
In this interview with ECPS, Dr. María José Urzúa Valverde examines how authoritarianism, populism, and democratic backsliding increasingly intersect with ...

Asst. Prof. Pauselli: LGBTQ+ Rights Have Become a Symbolic Boundary in Global Politics
Authoritarian governments, populist movements, and rising powers are increasingly challenging the liberal international order not only by contesting specific human ...

Dr. Blombäck: The Debate Over Sweden’s Newest Citizens Has Become Quite Ugly
In this ECPS interview, Assistant Professor Sofie Blombäck examines the Sweden Democrats’ electoral setback alongside the continuing normalization of ideas long associated ...

From ‘My Family Is Safe’ to Gendered Authoritarianism: Redrawing the Boundaries of Belonging in Turkey
In this commentary, Dr. Hafza Girdap examines Turkey’s intensifying anti-gender politics through the interconnected concepts of gendered populism, gendered authoritarianism, and differentiated ...

Dr. Valverde: Autocracies See Independent Civic Space Itself as a Strategic Threat
In this interview with ECPS, Dr. María José Urzúa Valverde examines how authoritarianism, populism, and democratic backsliding increasingly intersect with ...

August 25: From Remembrance to Responsibility for the Rohingya
In this reflective Voice of Youth commentary marking Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day on August 25, PS Ayaas, a young Rohingya ...

Prof. Gest: The Way Countries Treat Their Most Vulnerable Is Indicative of the State of Their Democracy
Professor Justin Gest argues that democratic resilience depends not only on institutions but also on the citizens who remain to ...

Look Up, Not Across: How Elites Weaponize Migration as a Distraction from Class Inequality
In this commentary, Bernard Allan V. Garcia argues that contemporary populism strategically reframes migration not simply as a policy issue ...

Dr. Arnson: Building Legitimate State Presence in Colombia Requires More than the Military
As Abelardo de la Espriella assumes Colombia's presidency on August 7, 2026, the country enters a defining moment in its ...

MEP López Aguilar: The Return Regulation Is a Violation of EU Fundamental Values
As the European Union implements its new Migration and Asylum Pact amid growing populist pressures, fundamental questions are emerging about ...

MEP Gedin: The EU Is Losing Its Voice When It Comes to Upholding International Law
MEP Hanna Gedin argues that the EU’s credibility as a defender of democracy, human rights, and international law is being ...

MEP Benifei: An Alliance of Interests Between the Extreme Right and Techno-Oligarchs Threatens Our Democracies
MEP Brando Benifei warns that Europe’s struggle for technological sovereignty is inseparable from the defense of democracy. In this ECPS ...

Dr. Dzebo: Dayton Accomplished Peace in Bosnia, but It Has Not Been Great at Democracy
In this interview with ECPS, Dr. Semir Dzebo, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies at the University of ...

Green Colonialism or Green Sovereignty? Africa’s Critical Minerals and the Politics of the Energy Transition
Africa’s centrality to the global energy transition rests increasingly on its vast reserves of critical minerals, yet mineral abundance alone ...

Imran Bayoumi: The Decline of Multilateralism Rewards Both Populism and Authoritarian Powers
In this interview, Imran Bayoumi examines how the weakening of multilateral institutions and the rise of transactional diplomacy are reshaping ...

Mandate Inflation: How Populists Claim Authority to Challenge Global Constraints
Please cite as:Aslam, Muhammad Faizan. (2026). “Mandate Inflation: How Populists Claim Authority to Challenge Global Constraints.” Journal of Populism Studies ...

ECPS Academy Summer School — Europe Between Oceans: The Future of the EU Trade Between the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific (July 6-10, 2026)
CASE COMPETITION INFO-PACK Are you interested in global trade politics and the future of Europe in a shifting world order? ...

ECPS Academy Summer School — Prof. Markus Kotzur: Can the EU lead? Policy Tools, Regulatory Power, and Global Influence
Professor Markus Kotzur's lecture explored one of the defining questions of contemporary European integration: can the European Union translate its ...

The Orphan Paradox in India and the USA
Please cite as:Sharma, Dinesh & Streich, Gregory W. (2026). “The Orphan Paradox in India and the USA.” Journal of Populism ...

Daughters of the Dynasties: Father-Daughter Succession in Asia and the United States
Please cite as:Sharma, Dinesh; Romagna, Britt; Lowenthal, Zara & Perez-Hosein, Jamilla. (2026). “Daughters of the Dynasties: Father-Daughter Succession in Asia ...

How Communication Style Shapes Political Trust More Than Populist Content in Domestic and International Politics
This commentary advances a critical intervention in debates on political persuasion by foregrounding original pilot research on communication and trust. ...

French Court Ruling Convicting Marine Le Pen: Implications for the Future of the Far Right in France
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE Please cite as:Al-Sheikh Daoud, Emad Salah & Al-Dahlaki, Khudhair Abbas. (2026). “French Court Ruling Convicting Marine Le Pen: ...

I Have a Dream
In this compelling Voice of Youth (VoY) contribution, Emmanouela Papapavlou revisits the enduring moral and political legacy of Martin Luther ...

“Googling” Patterns during 2026 State of the Union Address – Research Note
This research note introduces high frequency “real-time” Google Trends data as a novel tool for studying public engagement with major ...

Prof. Kopstein: Trumpism, Better Understood in Patrimonial Terms, Treats the State as a Family Business
Professor Jeffrey Kopstein argues that Trumpism is best analyzed not primarily as populism, but as patrimonial rule—where “the state itself ...

Professor Hett: Trump Is Vastly Less Astute and Less Ruthless Than Hitler
Professor Benjamin Carter Hett, a leading historian of Nazi Germany at Hunter College and the Graduate Center, CUNY, joins ECPS ...

Demographic Populism: Demography as a Political Battleground
Please cite as:ECPS Staff. (2026). “Demographic Populism: Demography as a Political Battleground.” European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS). October 2, ...

ECPS Panel on Demographic Populism: Demography as a Political Battleground: Migration, Family, Race, Religion, and Radical-Right Populism
Date/Time: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 – 16:15-18:30 (CET) Click here to register! Moderator Klaudia Koxha (Postdoctoral Fellow at the University ...

Dr. Blombäck: The Debate Over Sweden’s Newest Citizens Has Become Quite Ugly
In this ECPS interview, Assistant Professor Sofie Blombäck examines the Sweden Democrats’ electoral setback alongside the continuing normalization of ideas long associated ...

Assoc. Prof. Loxbo: Sweden Has Become an Extreme Case of Radical-Right Mainstreaming
In this ECPS interview, Associate Professor Karl Loxbo of Stockholm University examines Sweden as an increasingly striking case of radical-right mainstreaming. He ...

Assoc. Prof. Norocel: Swedish Mainstream Parties Have Radicalized Rather Than SD Moderating on Immigration
In this ECPS interview, Associate Professor Ov Cristian Norocel of Lund University examines how the Sweden Democrats’ electoral decline can coexist ...

Dr. Gefjon Off: The Sweden Democrats Lost Votes, but Its Influence Remains Clear
In this ECPS interview, Dr. Gefjon Off examines the Sweden Democrats’ 2026 electoral setback against the backdrop of their continuing ...

Assoc. Prof. Hellström: Many Swedes Feel That Rejudification Has Gone Too Far
Ahead of Sweden’s September 13, 2026 election, Associate Professor Anders Hellström argues that the Sweden Democrats’ influence can no longer ...

How to Explain the AfD’s Victory in Eastern Germany
Dr. João Ferreira Dias argues that the AfD’s strength in Eastern Germany cannot be explained by poverty alone. Instead, its ...

Leader-Centrism and Polarization: Tracing the Determinants of Youth Voting Behavior
This Voice of Youth (VoY) piece examines the growing influence of leader-centrism, political polarization, and digital mobilization on youth voting ...

France’s Student Protests: A Generation Catching Fire
In this Voice of Youth (VoY) commentary, Emmanouela Papapavlou reflects on the wave of student protests sweeping France and asks ...

Dr. Varriale: Academics Should Engage Public Debate Without Turning Scholarship into Political Activism
In this ECPS Voice of Youth (VoY) interview, Dr. Amedeo Varriale reflects on the study of populism, the responsibilities of ...

Andrei Gheorghe: Populism May Define the 21st Century, Yet Romania Remains an Understudied Case
In this inaugural interview of the ECPS Youth Program’s new interview series, ECPS-ECRN member Andrei Gheorghe discusses his comparative research ...

From Mass Parties to Digital Bubbles: How Young Europeans Encounter Politics
In this commentary, Filippo Palmieri examines how digital platforms are reshaping the political socialization of young Europeans. As mass parties ...

The Hidden Cost of AI: Our Climate, Our Children, Our Future
In this Voice of Youth (VoY) piece, Emaan Zahra examines the intertwined environmental and developmental costs of the rapid expansion ...

August 25: From Remembrance to Responsibility for the Rohingya
In this reflective Voice of Youth commentary marking Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day on August 25, PS Ayaas, a young Rohingya ...

From Beneficiaries to Changemakers: Why Rohingya Youth Must Have a Voice in Their Future
Nearly a decade after the mass displacement of the Rohingya, an entire generation has come of age in refugee camps ...
Leader-Centrism and Polarization: Tracing the Determinants of Youth Voting Behavior