Sean Scull, SKEMA Publika: "Populism is not the cause, but the symptom of a democracy in crisis"

Your book offers an analysis of populism in France and Sweden. You argue that this phenomenon is a consequence of the crisis of liberal democracy. Can you explain this thesis in detail?

Sean Scull: Populism does not arise without reason. It is the symptom of a major dysfunction within our liberal democracies, namely the domination of economic power over political power. When citizens realise that political decisions no longer serve their interests but are influenced by external actors such as rating agencies or austerity policies imposed by Europe, they turn to movements that offer an alternative. These movements, whether left-wing like LFI in France or right-wing like RN, or even the Sweden Democrats in Sweden, capture the popular discontent with a democracy perceived as failing.

Your essay takes an explanatory approach. What do you seek to clarify through your work?

My aim is to show that populism is not simply an irrational reaction or a revolt against the elites. It is a logical response to a system that has sidelined popular sovereignty for decades. Public decisions are increasingly dictated by external economic imperatives, often under pressure from rating agencies or European austerity directives. It is essential to understand this context in order to grasp why populist movements are gaining ground.

You have studied populism in France through parties like La France Insoumise (LFI) and the Rassemblement National (RN), as well as in Sweden with the Sweden Democrats and the Left Party. What similarities and differences have you observed between these movements?

Although these parties have very different ideologies, they all share a rejection of the elites and neoliberal globalisation. In France, both RN and LFI criticise what they perceive as a loss of national sovereignty, but through different lenses: LFI focuses on ecology, social justice, and fighting inequalities, while RN is more concerned with identity, security, and purchasing power. In Sweden, the Sweden Democrats align more closely with RN in their nationalist discourse, while the Left Party shares some of LFI’s ideals regarding opposition to austerity and globalisation.

What impact do the austerity policies imposed by Europe have on the rise of populism, in your view?

Austerity imposes sacrifices on the population, often without giving them a say. This creates a sense of frustration and betrayal, as citizens see their living conditions deteriorate in the name of economic rules decided elsewhere. This resentment is exploited by populist movements, which promise to restore power to the people by breaking free from these external constraints.

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