Contesting Europe. The Origins of Populist anti-Europeanism

Hostility towards “Brussels”, a term often used as an inaccurate shorthand for the European Union institutions, has become deeply ingrained throughout Europe. This sentiment encapsulates two distinct and yet increasingly converging attitudes: anti-Europeanism and populism. Such a convergence has long-term causes. Indeed, contrary to a widespread interpretation, the former is as ancient as the European integration process itself. Current populism, too, needs a thorough historical perspective. Deeming it a concept “without a past” would be a misjudgement. Delving into the evolution of populist motives provides a profound understanding of why, under specific circumstances, the European Union has emerged as an optimal environment for their propagation and intersection with anti-Europeanism. Thus, historicising both populism and anti-Europeanism is fundamental to grasp a process currently underway in contemporary Europe.