The Adaptability of Populist Discourse: Greece and Finland in Comparison

The Adaptability Of Populist Discourse

GREECE AND FINLAND IN COMPARISON

Paris Aslanidis (University of Macedonia) Tuukka Ylä-Anttila (University of Helsinki)

INTRODUCTION Populism as reaction to (sense of) crisis

(Post)-2008 crisis affected European countries differently

Similarities & differences in populist mobilizations across Europe

GDP / capita

debt / GDP

UNEMPLOYMENT

FINNISH POLITICS

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011

Conservatives

Soc. Dem.

Rural/Finns

Centre

Left

Greens

Swedish

Christian D.

Others

Seats in parliament, 1987–

GREEK POLITICS

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1989 I 1989 II 1990 1993 1996 2000 2004 2007 2009 2012 I 2012 II

ND

SYRIZA

PASOK

ANEL

XA

DIMAR

KKE

LAOS

Others

Seats in parliament, 1989–

POPULISM “[A]n ideology that considers society to be ultimately separated

into two homogeneous and antagonistic groups, ‘the pure people’ versus ‘the corrupt elite’, and which argues that politics should be an expression of the volonté generale (general will) of

the people.” (Mudde 2004)

FRAMEWORK ECONOMY:

Debtors vs. creditors

POLITICS: Stable consensus vs. “populist democracy”

IDEOLOGY: The people vs. its enemies

How does enemy construction work in these different contexts?

METHODS / DATA Content analysis

Qualitative & quantitative

In-vivo “grounded” codebook

Discursive material: blogs, speeches

ENEMIES OF���“THE TRUE FINNS”

Domestic political elite Domestic intellectual elite

European bureaucratic elite Global banking and business elite

“Lazy Greek spenders” (and other Southerners)

ENEMIES OF���“THE INDEPENDENT GREEKS”

Domestic political elite – lackeys European bureaucratic elite – federalists

Global banking and business elite

“German austerity fascists” NEW WORLD ORDER

SIMILARITIES / DIFFERENCES Domestic elites accused of acting in interest of foreign enemies...

...but with stronger moral condemnation and conspiracy narrative in Greece

ADAPTABILITY OF POPULIST DISCOURSE

The power of a simplistic Manichean good vs. evil worldview... ...but with crucial cultural qualifications