Foreword: the rise of European populism.

• Position: Brief article

The emergence of a new political right-wing club in the European Parliament raises legitimate questions on the nature of European Radical populism. What, if anything, have Le Pen's voters in common with Vadim Tudor's ones? Is populism in 'old Europe' the same animal as populism in 'new' Europe, at least enough to generate a common European platform? And how far can it still go?

Prior to EU accession it would have been quite inconceivable to have such parties in government in the new member countries. Presently, not only we find them as government associates in Slovakia and Poland, but elements of their discourse feature more and more frequently in those of mainstream parties. Whenever you have an electoral populist syndrome, the most skilful electoral manipulation cannot prevent such parties to eventually reach power.

Traditionally, populism was associated a "development crisis," causing...