Garčević Comments on Rise of Populism in Europe
Ambassador Vesko Garčević, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, was interviewed for a Vijesti article in which he comments on the rise of populism in Europe and how the extreme-right surge in the EU might impact the enlargement of the Union.
The article, titled “Jačanje desnice koči i proširenje (Strengthening the right inhibits expansion),” addresses the recent parliamentary elections in Italy and the victory of the extreme-right party Brothers of Italy, which nurtures elements of Mussolini’s fascism in its political ideology. In his comments, Garčević underlined three main drivers of the populist and anti-establishment sentiments among European voters: the growing number of migrants from non-European countries, the prolonged economic crisis exacerbated by the invasion of Ukraine, and distrust in the national institutions and the European Union’s (EU) capacity to tackle problems that occupy a majority of citizens.
The increase in energy prices coupled with unemployment and the influx of migrants have exaggerated the existing problems in the EU. Under such circumstances, Garčević says citizens are concerned about their future and don’t believe in traditional parties and politicians. Many voters now look for parties that offer easy answers to complex societal and economic issues or are prone to support the so-called non-institutional solutions.
The full article can be read (in Serbian) on Vijesti‘s website.
During his diplomatic career, Ambassador Vesko Garčević dealt with issues pertinent to European security and NATO for almost 14 years. In 2004, he was posted in Vienna to serve as Ambassador to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He had been Montenegro’s Ambassador to NATO from 2010 until 2014 and served as Montenegro’s National Coordinator for NATO from 2015 until he joined the faculty at the Pardee School. Learn more about Ambassador Garčević on his faculty profile.