Populism and the Environmental Crisis: Why Europe Needs a Stronger Democracy

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The recent results of the EU elections and the snap elections in France have led to significant gains for the populist right. This is worrying – but should not come as a surprise. There have been plenty of warning signs: most recently, farmers' protests in countries such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands, which have become a focal point of growing discontent.

This discontent plays into the hands of populists: on the one hand, they use it to align themselves favourably with the protesters, in efforts to secure more votes. On the other hand, it provides them with arguments to fortify their demands for dismantling environmental legislation. Unfortunately, they have been successful: a few weeks after the protests, the EU decided, under the guise of reducing bureaucracy, to roll back key environmental requirements of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). This happened at breakneck speed and in a manner that was far from democratic: without impact assessments, without consultation, and without much public debate.

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Sarah Velten

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This is a wake-up call: it is an urgent appeal to act and to find solutions to the root causes of the growing discontent that is driving voters in droves into the arms of populism.

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Sarah Velten

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However, this is just one of the latest glimpses into what strongly populist-influenced governments have in store for us. Key environmental legislative initiatives of the Green Deal have already been diluted, delayed, or halted by right-wing opposition. A further strengthening of populists would continue this harmful trend, jeopardising European biodiversity, the environment, as well as our prosperity and wellbeing. There is ample evidence of an impending ecological collapse. Simply continuing business as usual is not an option, as only functioning and diverse ecosystems can provide us with sufficient food and clean water today and in the future, while protecting us from droughts and floods.

This is a wake-up call. It is an urgent appeal to act and to find solutions to the root causes of the growing discontent that is driving voters in droves into the arms of populism. But what are the causes of this discontent? According to a study by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, key issues include unfulfilled election promises, the excessive influence of lobbies whose interests run counter to the common good, an unbalanced representation in parliament, and the lower voter turnout among poorer citizens.

Interestingly, a majority of those surveyed also preferred direct democracy with referenda or an expertocracy, where neutral experts and constitutional courts make decisions, over the current representative democracy. This is a profound result. It suggests that many people are fundamentally dissatisfied with the ability of politics to make sound decisions and to adequately represent the majority will of the people. Overall, it seems that our democracy is not democratic enough and does not sufficiently live up to the ideal of "government by the people."

Rather than overhauling the entire system, there are already promising strategies to improve the existing representative democracy. In the Friedrich Ebert Foundation study, the legislative footprint and citizens' assemblies received the highest approval. The legislative footprint is a record of lobby involvement in legislative proposals and can increase transparency in decision-making processes. Citizens' assemblies consist of a randomly selected group of citizens who develop policy recommendations on a specific issue. Although these recommendations are not legally binding, they have proven to be highly effective, especially in environmental policy, in developing meaningful and socially sustainable solutions. Why? Because they are instruments of deliberative democracy, aiming to create mutual understanding through the exchange of arguments in a discourse as free from power as possible, leading to solutions that are both substantively and morally sound. This is also demonstrated by recent case studies at both the national and European levels, as well as hundreds of earlier examples of participatory processes.

Given the extent of the current loss of trust, the path towards a deeper democratic reform must go further. In a truly representative system, citizens would not only elect their leaders and offer non-binding recommendations but also play a regular and meaningful role in decisions-making – embracing the principles of deliberation and public participation. Moreover, everyone should have the opportunity at all times to understand how decisions are made. It is high time to strengthen and develop our democratic structures to meet current challenges and to prevent populists from exploiting discontent and mistrust. Only through a just, transparent, and participatory system can we ensure the preservation of our environment, our social freedom and participation, and ultimately our quality of life.

This article was first published in German in Euractiv.de on 8. August 2024