Right-wing populist attitudes among European public servants – A cross-country comparison

Abstract

Thus far, there has not been any investigation into the populist held beliefs and attitudes among public servants. These attitudes, given the considerable discretionary decision power of public servants, and their influence in policy-making processes, could have a significant impact on public policies. This paper investigates the populist attitudes of public servants, based on data that are retrieved from the European Social Survey. The paper compares public servants from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. The results show that public servants hold surprisingly similar populist views as compared with non-public servants, and that there are striking differences between countries. There are significant implications for the work public servants do, and the representativeness of the administration.

Enacting Accountability Under Populist Pressures: Theorizing the Relationship Between Anti-Elite Rhetoric and Public Accountability

“…In addition to these direct pressures are a range of spillover effects, as populist parties have challenged the established order even when not entering national government. Evidence suggests the indirect influence of populism on specific policy areas, notably immigration, integration, and national security (e.g., Mudde, 2013;Van Acker, 2020). This broader understanding of the range of populist pressures accords with recent studies that focus on the communicative, performative, or stylistic aspects of populism (e.g., Engesser et al, 2017;Jagers & Walgrave, 2007).…”

Populism and Religion in Brazil: The View from Education Policy

“…The literature suggests that recent economic and social changes have led people, especially the working class, to 'share a deeply rooted dissatisfaction with the way the current democracy works' (Van Acker, 2019: 5). They feel frustrated, resentful, and disenchanted with politics and institutions, and vote for populist politicians (Inglehart and Norris, 2016;Müller, 2016;Mondon, 2017;Van Acker, 2019). In Brazil, the policy changes implemented in the last few decades, especially during the PT's governments, created a backlash that conservative politicians are now taking advantage of, according to interviewee 3.…”

“…Claiming that there is one, single, homogenous, and authentic people who are lawabiding, hardworking, decent, and virtuous, Bolsonaro delegitimizes dangerous 'others' and pluralistic and multiculturalist views, as the scholarship notes (Benveniste et al, 2016;Müller, 2016;Speed and Mannion, 2017;Van Acker, 2019). The Minister of Education's comments during a 2020 meeting with the President and other Ministers sums up this idea.…”

“…Recent scholarship explores and tries to explain the rise of populists like Bolsonaro. The literature suggests that recent economic and social changes have led people, especially the working class, to ‘share a deeply rooted dissatisfaction with the way the current democracy works’ (Van Acker, 2019: 5). They feel frustrated, resentful, and disenchanted with politics and institutions, and vote for populist politicians (Inglehart and Norris, 2016; Müller, 2016; Mondon, 2017; Van Acker, 2019).…”

“…In 2018, Jair Bolsonaro, a retired army captain who had served multiple terms in the House of Representatives, campaigned on a platform that combined conservative and moralistic ideas with a populist and a neoliberal agenda. As in other countries, this populist right-wing discourse reinforces the idea that ‘we’ are struggling against dangerous ‘others,’ including the ‘corrupted elite’ and ‘traditional politicians,’ as well as ethical and racial minorities (Benveniste et al ., 2016; Müller, 2016; Speed and Mannion, 2017; Van Acker, 2019). Populism is a concept that scholars traditionally use to explain the rise of left-wing presidents in Latin America and in Brazil in particular (see Ianni, 1968; see also Weffort, 1978), yet it is now being used to understand the rise of right-wing governments worldwide, aligning the Brazilian experience more closely with Western Europe.…”