An EPP Group conference on ‘The perverse charm of populism’ with European experts and academics will take place today (Tuesday 5 February). The event is hosted by Sandra Kalniete MEP, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament.
Focus will centre on the identification of contrasting populist movements that have emerged across Europe in recent years. The aim is to try to understand the underlying causes of populism and examine possible solutions to efficiently counter this worrying phenomenon.
The conference, which will be open to the public and attended by EPP Group Members, will be divided into two panels: the first, ‘Different colours of populism in Europe and their root causes’ will focus on the identification of different sorts of populist movements that have emerged in Europe in recent years and trying to understand their main causes. One of the main speakers of the conference is Ivan Krastev, Chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia and Permanent Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM), Vienna.
During the second panel ‘How to address people’s fears and counter populist propaganda’, moderated by Dubravka Šuica MEP, Vice-Chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the conference will reflect on possible solutions to efficiently fight this worrying phenomenon.
By organising this event, the EPP Group hopes to foster a genuine exchange of views which would deepen our understanding of this trend that we are currently faced with, not only in Europe but all over the world. Moreover, we will examine how Europe and our political family can more efficiently counter the populist narrative by addressing people’s real fears and needs.
The conference will take place today between 14.30 and 17.00 hrs in the European Parliament in Brussels.
