Populist Parties and Democratic Resilience

‘Anti-pluralism is often assumed to be a defining characteristic of populism, yet this relationship has only seldom been put to the test of rigorous empirical study. Populist Parties and Democratic Resilience makes an important contribution to this debate with a systematic investigation of the varying, anti-pluralist tendencies of populist parties in 11 European countries, and of the conditions under which these parties can be socialised into democratic life. This will be essential reading for students of populist parties and, beyond, those of us concerned with the contemporary trajectory of European democracies.’ Lise Herman, University of Exeter ‘This fascinating and timely volume shows that most populist parties have at best an ambiguous relationship with liberal democracy’s most fundamental characteristic: societal and political pluralism. It also convincingly demonstrates that the stronger pluralism is promoted by non-populist parties, by being neither too accommodating or too ostracizing towards populist parties, and entrenched in our institutions, the more resilient our liberal democracies will be to the populist challenge. Importantly, the volume practices what it preaches, showcasing pluralism of methods and approaches in the country studies, and encouraging scholars to promote pluralism when discussing contemporary challenges to democracy, both in academia and in the public debate. The wide selection of European cases, as well as the insightfulness and accessibility of the analyses, make it of importance to scholars and students alike.’ Sarah de Lange, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands