Populism as an alternative model of democracy: Measuring and profiling the supporters of the populist model

In the past decade, populist parties such as Alternative für Deutschland, Fratelli d’Italia, and Podemos have emerged across Europe, challenging the liberal democratic model. These parties promote a people-centered democracy, free from institutional constraints, which has led to a reevaluation of democratic principles among Europeans. The ESS round 10 repeat module aimed to measure support for this populist model of democracy. This chapter discusses the conceptualization and measurement of the populist democratic model. It highlights the limited yet significant support for populist democracy among Europeans, with notable variation across countries. The chapter also examines the relationship between populist attitudes and support for populist democracy, revealing that while supporters share characteristics with populists, they are neither exclusionary nor authoritarian, and tend to support inclusive policies. It concludes by calling for further research into cross-country differences in support for populist democracy.