Fika Politica: The Future of Europe – Facing the Rise of Populism

Welcome to our next café debate ‘Fika Politica’!

Fika Politica consists in gathering people interested in international matters around one topic in order to discuss and debate it. Fika Politica aims at having people conversing and learning from one another through discussion. A short presentation of the topic will precede. No previous knowledge on the topic is required. Fika (coffee/tea with cookies) will be served.

The topic for this Fika Politica is “The future of Europe – facing the rise of populism”. Over the last few years, right-wing populist parties have swept through the politics of EU member-states. These parties, whether as part of the opposition or in a position of leadership at the state level, all challenge the European Union, its institutions and its policies among others. Calls to reject the EU and/or its policies transcend these political parties. Although the trend has been gaining importance for a few years with Poland’s PiS being in power and Hungary’s Jobbik arriving third in the 2014 parliamentary elections, 2016 and 2017 represent the peak of this phenomenon. The Brexit referendum, the 2016 Austrian presidential election, the 2017 Dutch general election and the French presidential and parliamentary elections all mark this shift in European politics: the rise of right-wing populism.

The event will be followed by the release party for the new issue of Utblick.

The event is free and open to everyone.