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Rationalizing Putin and Russia’s behaviour – a German debate

Putinversteher – those who profess to understand Russia’s leader – is a phenomenon that can be found across political dividing lines in Germany and, at least in the political discourse, has major, even polarizing significance. The word Putinversteher has entered the German vernacular. In 2014, the term was nominated for the ugliest word title at […]

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Consequences of Euroscepticism in the light of the European elections 2014

This study was made for the Deutsche Bank (with Nikolaus Heinen)   The recent development has triggered a response in both the party system and politics: numerous EU member countries now have political movements or parties that are often referred to in debate as “eurosceptics”. They reflect a broad spectrum of parties and groups ranging […]

Explaining the success of Right-wing populist parties in Europe

  updated short version with analytical conclusions 2014 here: with Karsten Grabow: Europa – No, thanks? Study on the rise of right-wing and nationalist populist parties, Sankt-Augustin/Berlin 2014. http://martenscentre.eu/sites/default/files/publication-files/kas_36200-544-2-30.pdf Review of the whole book in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/politische-buecher/exposing-the-demagogues-ausgepraegter-euroskeptizismus-13232728.html   Europe’s right-wing and national populist parties are on the upswing, even despite […]

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The consequences of virtual activism: Cyber Parties

Historically, Europe’s political parties have relied on an active membership to achieve and maintain influence. However, with the rise of professional communications management, political parties must increasingly seek influence and relevance through other means. Florian Hartleb looks at the emergence of ‘virtual politics’ in Europe and finds that social media and online engagement offer new opportunities […]

All Tomorrow’s Parties: the changing face of European Party Politics

All Tomorrow’s Parties: the changing face of European Party Politics addresses the challenges today’s political parties are confronted with, such as rapid changes in societies, technologies and politics as a whole. Democracy in Europe is now a multilevel governance system with a sometimes opaque interdependence of policies, institutions and actors, such as entrepreneurs, media and […]

A thorn in the side of European elites. The new Euroscepticism

A thorn in the side of European elites. The new Euroscepticism, Brussels 2011.   The European project has recently reached a critical point, where a discussion on the fundamental objectives of the European Union has entered public debate. There are considerable concerns about a new Euroscepticism arising in response to recent developments, especially the Eurozone […]

Populism – a hindrance for political socialisation?

Often, teenagers feel themselves misunderstood by politicians. Parties and governments do not seem authentic to them. Does this so-called “political querulousness” have the consequence that young people in particular favour populist politicians? And how do the populists present their argumentation? English and French version on eurotopics, based on Florian Hartleb: Populismus – ein Hindernis für […]

Statement in Radio Sweden about Right-wing populism in Europe

Florian Hartleb says the EU elections always give alternative parties a better chance. “European elections are still ‘second’ elections with very little turnout”, he told Radio Sweden, “Outsider parties or anti-establishment parties like the Pirate Party in the last election, have much more opportunities than in the national election.” And the right-wing populist parties are likely […]