European Populism in the European Union
H Balnaves, E Monteiro Burkle, J Erkan & D Fischer ‘European populism in the European Union: Results and human rights impacts of the 2019 parliamentary elections’ (2020) 4 Global Campus Human Rights Journal 176-200 http://doi.org/20.500.11825/1695 European populism in the European Union: Results and human rights impacts of the 2019 parliamentary elections Hugo Balnaves,* Eduardo Monteiro Burkle,** Jasmine Erkan*** and David Fischer**** Abstract: Populism is a problem neither unique nor new to Europe. However, a number of crises within the European Union, such as the ongoing Brexit crisis, the migration crisis, the climate crisis and the rise of illiberal regimes in Eastern Europe, all are adding pressure on EU institutions. The European parliamentary elections of 2019 saw a significant shift in campaigning, results and policy outcomes that were all affected by, inter alia, the aforementioned crises. This article examines the theoretical framework behind right-wing populism and its rise in Europe, and the role European populism has subversively played in the 2019 elections. It examines the outcomes and human rights impacts of the election analysing the effect of right-wing populists on key EU policy areas such as migration and climate change. Key Words: European parliamentary elections; populism; EU institutions; human rights * LLB (University of Adelaide) BCom (Marketing) (University of Adelaide); EMA Student 2019/20. ** LLB (State University of Londrina); EMA Student 2019/20. *** BA (University of Western Australia); EMA Student 2019/20. **** MA (University of Mainz); EMA Student 2019/20. European populism in the European Union 177 1 Introduction 2019 was a year fraught with many challenges for the European Union (EU) as it continued undergoing several crises, including the ongoing effects of Brexit, the migration crisis, the climate crisis and the rise of illiberal regimes in Eastern Europe.
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