On September 19th, the Institute of European Studies welcomed Professor Mihnea Stoica from the College of Political, Administrative, and Communication Sciences at Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania, for a lecture on Europe's vulnerability to populism amid the war in Ukraine. The event, attended by 20 participants, explored the complexities of populism and euroscepticism within the European Union (EU).
Professor Stoica, an expert in political communications and euroscepticism, opened the lecture by addressing common misconceptions about populism. He emphasized that populism is often oversimplified and misinterpreted. Defining populism as an ideology, a political communication strategy, and a rhetoric often aligned with euroscepticism, Stoica highlighted how populism takes on different connotations: it is generally viewed more favorably in the United States and more negatively in Europe.
Stoica explained that the rise of populist euroscepticism in Europe represents a fusion of populist rhetoric with anti-European sentiment. He noted that populist leaders across Europe have capitalized on the anxieties triggered by the war in Ukraine, positioning themselves as defenders of national identity against what they perceive as encroachment by the EU. Using empirical data from Romania, Hungary, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands, and France, Stoica illustrated how populist parties have gained ground in the European Parliament. Despite the UK's exit from the EU, which reduced the overall number of seats, the proportion of eurosceptic populists in the Parliament rose from 17% in 2019 to nearly 20% in 2024, a shift Stoica attributed to effective anti-EU rhetoric and the exploitation of socio-economic insecurities.
In the latter part of his lecture, Stoica introduced the Political Compass tool, a digital platform designed to help users identify their political alignment. While the U.S. has predominantly two major parties, Europe hosts a much broader spectrum of political candidates. This tool serves as a survey to educate users on various party platforms, encouraging them to explore political views beyond their traditional preferences. Its goal is to reduce political polarization by increasing transparency and understanding, allowing users to compare their beliefs with those of numerous political leaders. With millions of users across Europe, the Political Compass has become a prominent tool in promoting more informed political engagement.
In conclusion, Stoica underscored the need to understand populism not just as an academic concept but as a dynamic and evolving force in European politics. He warned that crises like the war in Ukraine create fertile ground for populist sentiments to grow and called for scholars and policymakers to address the root causes fueling these movements.