Donald Trump, Viktor Orbán and Rodrigo Duterte are well known examples of political figures labelled as populists. With the European Parliament elections approaching fast it is important that we address the idea of populism and its possible implications.

Populism is often seen as a political ideology in which the people and the elite are placed on opposite sides and it is often associated with extreme right political ideas. Experts say that Brussels believed populism was on its way out when Macron won the elections in 2017 and political figures like Geert Wilders did not seem to gain influence at the time. Times have changed however, with Geert Wilders winning the Dutch elections serving as an example. Right wing populist ideas often go hand in hand with wanting EU reforms. With the European Parliament elections approaching UUMUN wants to address the trend of rising populism in Europe. We will be looking at the historical context of populism, the difference between left and right wing populism and the possible implications of populism in the European Union as an international organisation. Together with expert speakers Caspar Brüsewitz (Volt candidate European Parliament 2024) and Dr. Rick Dolphijn (Associate Professor in e.g. European Philosophy at the UU) we will shed light on the phenomenon of populism.

You cannot miss out on this amazing discussion so be sure to join us at the Academy building of Utrecht University on May 22nd. RSVP by signing up via the link!