Neo-populisms: Key hypotheses and types. The European Experience

Abstract

What happens when, after a resounding electoral victory, populist parties and their leadersbecome prime ministers or ministers in governments or participate in the decision-makingprocess? To reply to such a question, first, the authors propose a simple distinction betweentwo neo-populisms and then control if there is adaptive institutional responsiveness with apossible consequent improvement of social rights and lowering of inequalities. The mainconclusion suggested by the empirical analysis is that revendicative and redistributiveleaders and parties are more likely to succeed in economically weaker countries. However,the cost of such a success is the political irresponsibility that may bring the democraticregime to bankruptcy.