To Counter Populism and Bolster Security, Europe Must Reinvest In Its Citizens

[Celerity]

Facing security threats and rising populism, Europe needs state investment in citizens, not austerity that fuelled discontent.

https://www.socialeurope.eu/to-counter-populism-and-bolster-security-europe-must-reinvest-in-its-citizens



Europe stands at a pivotal juncture. The continent faces a challenging security environment that demands substantial investment, just as persistently weak growth threatens to become a structural issue. At the same time, European governments find their capacity to act increasingly constrained, as political fragmentation and instability, exacerbated by the rise of populist movements, undermine effective governance.

In response, some governments may be tempted to resort to spending cuts. The recent austerity measures introduced by the Starmer government in the UK, or Germany’s push to boost security budgets, without similar investment in essential public services like healthcare and social support, illustrates this trend. Such an approach, however, would be misguided. It misinterprets the lessons of the past decade’s populist surge. The rise of populism was driven not just by economic hardship or cultural anxiety, but by something deeper: a widespread perception that the state had abandoned ordinary citizens and a sentiment that mainstream political parties were complicit.

To rebuild public trust, governments should not further weaken the state but instead focus on making it work better: reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies, improving service delivery, and reinforcing confidence in public institutions. Populism is the narcotic of our time, a powerful, intoxicating force that numbs a widespread sense of abandonment without addressing its root causes. It offers a fleeting sense of empowerment and belonging, channelling frustration into rage against elites and outsiders. Yet, like any narcotic, it merely masks the deeper pain: the vanishing jobs, eroded social ties, and dislocated places that made communities vulnerable to discontent in the first place. Populism sedates the discontent, but usually fails to provide solutions to heal it.

The fact that populism responds to grievances but rarely solves them presents a critical opportunity for mainstream political forces to reclaim voters. The first step is to recognise the legitimate grievances that populism exploits, particularly the sense of betrayal stemming from economic policies like austerity. Studies by economists have shown how austerity measures directly fuelled support for Brexit, while research by political scientists reveals how cuts to public services bolstered far-right movements. Disillusioned by their experiences with government, voters abandoned the parties they held responsible for its failures. Other studies reveal how concerns about housing and soaring rents have stoked political discontent, while dwindling access to healthcare (often manifested in GP closures and lengthening hospital wait times) has deepened grievances, amplifying the appeal of populist rhetoric.

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Catherine De Vries on Diversity and Inclusion

Bocconi University