Populist Support Declines in Europe

An annual YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project survey, reported by The Guardian, finds that support for populist ideas has fallen across several European countries over the past three years. The survey measures attitudes like distrust of elites, favoring strong national control, and opposition to immigration. In the latest cycle, populist sentiment declined in ten European nations, indicating fewer people now express broad populist beliefs than in earlier years.

Researchers and commentators say the drop could mean the wider electoral appeal of some populist movements has peaked, making it harder for them to expand into mainstream politics. However, experts warn that an overall decline in numbers can hide more intense radicalization among committed supporters, possibly strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysts caution that smaller, active groups may retain outsized political influence or rebound under different conditions.