Populist Leaders and Foreign Policy: Sovereigntism on the Rise?

In recent times, populist leaders and parties have gained increasing prominence on the international scene, from President Donald Trump in the United States to Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party or Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Fratelli d’Italia. Beyond the domestic scene, their influence on their countries’ foreign relations is also growing.

Scholars have traditionally focused on the effects of populism on domestic politics and policy, but newer academic inquiry is increasingly interested in the foreign policy implications of populist leadership. The working paper titled “Populist Leaders and Foreign Policy Rhetoric: A Comparative Study of Hungary and Austria” presented at this discussion examines the national security strategy documents of Austria and Hungary, as well as of parliamentary debates and public speeches of populist actors, to ascertain whether there has been an increase in sovereigntist foreign policy rhetoric in these countries. Through a mixed methods analysis, the research assessed whether there are similarities in Austria and Hungary in foreign policy communication on topics such as immigration, the EU, and Russia.

Beyond exploring changes in the foreign policy rhetoric of populists, the discussion will also touch on the international policy implications of such actors assuming power in Europe and beyond.

For more information, please contact Monika Dlugosch ([email protected]).

This event takes place in the framework of the “AUTHLIB – Neo-authoritarianisms in Europe and the Liberal Democratic Response” project funded by the European Union and UK Research and Innovation. Views and opinions expressed however do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or UK Research and Innovation. Neither the European Union nor UK Research and Innovation can be held responsible for them.

To learn more about the AUTHLIB project, visit its website here. You can sign up for updates about the project here.

The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is a nonpartisan policy organization committed to the idea that the United States and Europe are stronger together.