The Center Cannot Hold: A Case for Left Populism?
It has become redundant to say that the Left is in crisis. The electoral decline of traditional left-wing parties across Western democracies, fueled by the defection of their historical voter base to the populist Right, paints a bleak picture for progressive politics. The old anchors are slipping, and the Left, long the bearer of emancipatory promises, finds itself disoriented. If the far Right thrives by mobilizing populist rhetoric, could a left variant offer a viable alternative? And if so, what are the costs?
Within the leftist intellectual landscape, some have argued for left populism as a strategy to reclaim “the people” as a unifying political subject. In practice, political actors have already begun to adopt elements of this approach. Together with our expert panel we explore whether left populism can reconcile class and identity, recognition and redistribution, into a coherent political project. What are the ethical implications of constructing “the people” as a subject? Can this strategy overcome the fragmentation of the left and speak to economic grievances, environmental concerns, and struggles for recognition? How can the rhetorical style and appeal to emotions of the populist Right be adopted by the Left?
About the speakers
André Krouwel teaches political science and communication at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and is founder and co-owner of Kieskompas (Election Compass), a leading developer of Vote Advice Applications across the globe. Krouwel’s research focuses on political parties, elections, voting behaviour, public opinion, populism, Euroscepticism, extremism (versus political moderation) and conspiracy beliefs. He wrote his PhD on the transformation of political parties in Western Europe.
Lillian Cicerchia is an Assistant Professor of Political Theory at the University of Amsterdam with a focus on political economy, feminism, and critical theory. She is also co-host of the podcast “What’s Left of Philosophy”, with discussions ranging from contemporary critical social theory to Marxism. Her research in these areas can also be found in Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy, the European Journal of Political Theory, and Social Theory & Practice. She is also a contributor to Jacobin, Catalyst Journal, and Dissent.
Leo Ranieri (moderator) has a multidisciplinary background spanning the biomedical sciences, medical anthropology, politics, and philosophy. He seeks to approach political problems from an innovative perspective informed by this interdisciplinary background. His research spans gender and race theory, the biopolitics of migration, critical perspectives on international crimes, and trauma. He currently works as a teaching and research assistant at Leiden University’s Institute of Security and Global Affairs.
