The consequences of the rise of populist parties across Europe

The European Leadership Network has published a short guide that ELN reviews the foreign and security policies of eight of the continent’s leading populist parties.

The guide's conclusions are:

• The Euro-sceptic attitudes of all of these parties will present a challenge to the future of the European project. This is likely to come through mainstream parties toughening their approach to Europe to stem the populist surge.
• The paper’s authors find the parties all share a favourable attitude to Russian Premier Vladimir Putin and all, bar one, support Russia’s approach to the crisis in Ukraine. A growth in support for these parties in this week’s elections may increase Putin’s influence in European politics.
• The results may presage a coming challenge to NATO cohesion as two of the more influential parties (SYRIZA in Greece and the FN in France), favour exit from the Alliance.
• The management of any future crisis in the euro-zone may be heavily undermined by the rise of the populist parties, especially if government’s attempt further austerity as a solution.

You can download the guide from the European Leadership Network website.