Are We Heading Towards More Populist or Pluralist Societies within Europe?

March 27 2017 – Sarah de Lange

Whereas the international media has been mostly concentrating on the perceived electoral rivalry between Rutte and Wilders during the last Dutch elections, a more interesting note might be the rise of parties – along with new radical right-wing initiatives – that represent the ‘migrant vote’. Though this signifies the increasing tendency of governmental fragmentation in Europe at large, it could also be seen as a sign of emancipation, for migrants, particularly within the Dutch style of proportional representation, are mobilizing themselves to represent their interests in politics.