Populism as a Threat to Democracy

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the mechanisms through which populism threatens the stability of representative democratic institutions and undermines the legitimacy and public trust in the traditional political elite. It has been proven that populism contributes to the growth of political polarization and social divisions, limits opportunities for compromise, and weakens the resilience and effectiveness of democratic institutions. It has been established that populist movements demonstrate a dismissive attitude toward the important values of liberal democracy, including freedom of speech and the press, the separation of powers, fair elections, judicial independence, the rule of law, and political pluralism. The author analyzes the main theoretical approaches to the study of populism as a distinct political ideology, a form of worldview, a practice and strategy of political communication that mobilizes supporters. It has been found that the key elements of such a populist strategy include charismatic leadership, political mobilization, simplification of reality, and the opposition between the elite and the people.

The purpose of the study is to examine the main links between populism and the intensification of gradual democratic backsliding, as well as to identify the socio-economic and political factors that contribute to the growing support for modern populist movements. The author proposes a definition of populism as a socio-political and ideological movement whose representatives appeal to the idea of the unlimited will of ordinary citizens, which should prevail over procedural restrictions and interests of a corrupt and inefficient political elite. As a result, it is established that the characteristic features of modern populism include anti-elitism, the prioritization of direct forms of citizen political participation, anti-globalism, nationalism, chauvinism, hostility toward migrants, shifting blame to political opponents, criticism of political pluralism and formal democratic procedures.