Pew Research Center has published a new classification system for identifying populist political parties in Europe. The analysis draws on three expert surveys to define populism by high levels of anti-elitism.
The framework combines data from the 2024 Chapel Hill Expert Survey, the 2023 Populism and Political Parties Expert Survey, and the 2023 PopuList. This tripartite approach aims to address varying definitions across political science.
Experts broadly agree that populist leaders display strong anti-elite sentiment, but definitions differ. The new system provides a standardized method for cross-national comparison of party ideologies.
The analysis implicitly acknowledges that classification remains contested. Different methodologies can yield different results, potentially influencing how populism is studied and understood across Europe.
Counter-arguments note that anti-elitism alone may oversimplify populism, which often includes nativist or authoritarian elements. The reliance on expert surveys also introduces subjectivity.