Populism and Liberal Democracy: A Conceptual Tension

The bachelor thesis of Ivar de Klijne explores the conceptual tension between populism and liberal democracy by comparing the theories of Cas-Mudde, Jan-Werner Müller, and Ernesto Laclau. It investigates whether populism is anti-democratic or merely at odds with liberal democracy. Mudde defines populism as a thin-centred ideology, Müller critiques its exclusive claim to moral representation, and Laclau presents it as a logic that constructs collective identities. The thesis argues that populism — although being democratic — is inherently at odds with liberal democracy. A case study of Geert Wilders and his political party illustrates how populist logic manifests in contemporary political practice