Post-Populism: What Happens When Populists Lose Elections?

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Description

Over the last several years in several East European countries populist governments lost general elections and were ousted from power. How did the replacement of populists with more mainstream rulers affect politics in these countries? This is the central question on which all panelists will focus. In addition, we will address issues such as: what measures are being introduced to undo the judicial reforms that allowed populists to capture and control segments of the judiciary? What institutional and personnel policies are being launched in order to neutralize prominent populist propagandists appointed by populist governments to positions of power in the national media? How is the national interest being redefined in the context of ongoing debates about the proper way to realign a country’s foreign policy priorities with those of the EU and NATO? What are the most important rhetorical and narrative shifts characterizing the post-populist governments strategies for shoring up voters’ support? And what are the tactics and strategies deployed by the populists once they found themselves in opposition? The experts featured on the panel will discuss specifically developments in Poland, Czechia, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Sub Unit

• Politics/Law

Chair

• Michael H. Bernhard, U of Florida

Roundtable Members

• Mieczysław Paweł Boduszynski, Pomona College

• Lenka Bustikova-Siroky, U of Florida

• Venelin Iordanov Ganev, Miami U of Ohio

• Krzysztof Jasiewicz, Washington and Lee U

• Conor O'Dwyer, U of Florida