Donald Trump

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From the People vs. the Elite to Everyone as the Enemy: The Strange Afterlife of Donald Trump’s Populism

Donald Trump’s second presidential term exposes how the structural logic of populism breaks down under its own expansion. As adversaries proliferate and the claim to embody a unified “people” weakens, antagonism survives but representation frays. What once relied on a clear, if contestable, moral divide now operates through thinning legitimacy and the staging of permanent confrontation.

27.02.2026

The Recipe Trump Will Hopefully Not Read Attentively – Measuring the US’ Political Prospects by the ‘Gold Standard’ of De-Democratization

Given all the grave concerns regarding the future of democratic norms and institutions in the US, Hungary’s transformation under Viktor Orbán’s rule offers the kind of warning that observers would ignore at their own peril. Considering the key ingredients on Orbán’s recipe of de-democratization can also help us develop a sense of proportions and nuance about what is likely to unfold under Donald Trump’s upcoming second term.

13.11.2024

Please Don’t Make Populism Great Again! – Reflections in the Wake of the U.S. Elections

Trump’s re-election threatens a return to oversaturated and simplistic discussions on populism. Emphasizing nuanced, innovative, and globally informed research over reactionary trends is essential to fully grasp the evolved nature of this intricate concept amid contemporary societal and political complexities, thereby meaningfully strengthening democratic practices in the long term.

7.11.2024