King's College London

The King’s Centre for British Democracy and Centre for German Transnational Relations co-hosted a roundtable on 24 March on the subject of ‘Populists in Power and Democratic Resilience’.

The high-level panel discussed the implications of populist parties being in power - or on the threshold of power - in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Germany. It assessed what their trajectories reveal about the challenges to liberal-democratic norms and institutions, as well as democratic resilience in Western Europe. Considering cases where populist actors have governed and where they have not yet, the roundtable identified possible mechanisms for enabling democracies to absorb populist pressures without systemic erosion. In doing so, it advanced the broader debate on whether Western European democracies are demonstrating resilience, adaptation, or gradual transformation in the face of populist power.

Professor Paul Taggart (University of Sussex), opened proceedings with an overview of the subject. He discussed the dilemma that populists faced in the event that they take office, since they are elected as outsiders. Paul held that populists are a challenge to democracy, but the electoral support they receive is an expression of dissatisfaction with politics, not with democracy.

Victor Mallet (Financial Times & author of the book Far-Right France) spoke on the subject of France. He described how Marine Le Pen has aimed to detoxify the Rassemblement National (RN). In power they would probably pursue a reduction in migration, and a crime crackdown. They would also most likely seek to change the EU from the inside rather than leave it. Macron is taking pre-emptive action; for instance, through seeking to entrench moderates in state institutions.

Dr Claire Burchett (KCL) discussed populism in Germany, explaining that The Alternative for Germany (AfD), traditionally most successful in the former East Germany, was now also gaining ground in the west of the country. The political ‘firewall’ around the AfD is crumbling. While the party can in theory be banned, there is a lack of will to do so, and fear of the political consequences.

Professor Stijn van Kessel (Queen Mary, University of London), spoke on the Netherlands. Geert Wilders (PVV) instigated the previous government's fall and has now been excluded from the new government. But at the general election in October 2025, there was an overall increase in support for far-right parties, from which the minority government may require ad hoc parliamentary support. Efforts to adopt ideas of the far right have served to strengthen rather than undermine it.

Professor Anand Menon (KCL, The UK in a Changing Europe) spoke on the UK. The rise of populist parties happened against the backdrop of the disintegration of traditional party structures. Brexit failed to act as a political ‘pressure valve’ and weakened the norms of British democracy. In power, populists would inherit extensive centralised powers. Outcomes could include withdrawal from ECHR, as well as corruption (e.g., cryptocurrency). Populists have also achieve influence without holding office.

About the hosts:

Centre for German Transnational Relations

With a specific focus on Germany’s past and current transnational relations, the Centre for German Transnational Relations at King's specialises in German politics, foreign policy, history, political economy, and language. It brings together members of various departments, including the Department of European and International Studies, the Department of History and the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. The centre’s main partner is the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

King’s Centre for British Democracy

Rooted in the Department of Political Economy’s rich, interdisciplinary environment, the Centre focuses on British democracy in its broadest sense, examining its drivers, complexities, and far-reaching implications. The mission is two-fold: first, to deepen understanding of democratic change in the UK and beyond; second, to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world policy. Through public lectures, academic events, publications, educational initiatives, and pilot projects, the Centre champions meaningful collaboration among scholars at King’s and the wider policy-making community, seeking evidence-based insights that inform and shape public discourse.