Pew Research has introduced a new framework for identifying populist political parties in Europe, combining data from three major expert surveys. The approach aims to bring greater consistency to a category often defined loosely, even as experts agree that anti-elitism is a core trait.
The classification draws on the 2024 Chapel Hill Expert Survey, the 2023 Populism and Political Parties Expert Survey, and the 2023 PopuList. Each source measures anti-elite sentiment among parties, allowing researchers to triangulate which parties qualify as populist under multiple definitions.
By relying on multiple established datasets, the methodology addresses a long-standing challenge in political science: defining populism. Experts have long noted that while anti-elitism is a common thread, the term's precise meaning varies, making cross-study comparisons difficult.
This analytical framework could influence how think tanks and media assess European political trends. It provides a more rigorous basis for tracking the rise of populist movements across the continent, though it is limited by the timing and scope of the underlying surveys.
A significant caveat: The methodology depends on expert assessments, not direct voter sentiment. Critics may argue that populism's chameleon-like nature resists simple classification.