Populism is often framed as a challenge to democracy. But what about anti-populism? Does opposing populism protect democratic institutions, or does it risk pushing politics toward elitism and exclusion, eroding social cohesion and deepening polarization? With the latest global developments, including Donald Trump’s resurgence in the United States and the growing influence of Alternative für Deutschland in Germany, these questions have never felt more urgent.
In this episode of the Review of Democracy Podcast, our editor Ece Özbey sits down with Dr. Giorgos Venizelos to unpack the complexities of the populism vs. anti-populism debate and explore what this struggle means for the future of democracy worldwide.
Giorgos Venizelos is a Lecturer in Political Communication at the Cyprus University of Technology. He was previously a Marie Curie Fellow at the University of Cyprus and a Fellow in Political Polarization at the CEU Democracy Institute. He co-convenes the Populism Specialist Group of the UK’s Political Studies Association. His research explores the intersections of comparative politics, contemporary political theory, and political communication, with a particular focus on populism and anti-populism. His book Populism in Power: Discourse and Performativity in SYRIZA and Donald Trump was published by Routledge in 2023.
Ece Özbey conducted the coversation. Alina Young edited the audio file.
