Populism and the “unfulfilled promises” of democracy: towards the corrosion of the character of democracy?

This article examines the complex relationship between populism and democracy, focusing on how populism emerges as both a symptom and a critique of democratic institutions in advanced modernity. It explores the transformation of liberal democracies under the influence of populist movements that exploit crises of legitimacy and declining trust in traditional political actors. It argues that populism, with its chameleonic nature, reshapes the political landscape by emphasising anti-elitist and anti-pluralist discourses that challenge established democratic norms. By analysing the ‘re-semantisation’ of concepts such as ‘the people’ and ‘community’ and their implications in Western democracies, the article explores how populism navigates between being an element of democratic discourse and a factor of democratic erosion. The tension between the ideal and procedural dimensions of democracy is highlighted, suggesting that populism capitalises on the ‘unfulfilled promises’ of democracy to position itself as both an alternative and a critique of the current democratic order.