This is the third in a mini-series of posts about how to beat populism at the polls. In the first post we emphasized the availability of a liberal leader while the second post we stressed the need of establishing the leader’s authority over a party. This post is about the third requirement for beating populism, namely, a coherent and realistic policy agenda that will serve the interests of the middle classes in society without damaging the liberal institutions. As before, the empirical case study from which we draw theoretical lessons comes from the recent trouncing of Greece’s left populist SYRIZA by the liberal right-of-center party of New Democracy (ND) led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Let me however repeat: Greece’s lessons are perfectly portable! So, if you’re interested in the forthcoming presidential elections in the US, please take note.
3/4 THE POLICY AGENDA
Given that populism in power is an illiberal, socially divisive, and politically polarizing project, which also depends heavily on the selective distribution of state-related resources to friends and the penalization of foes, liberalism in opposition should aim at the exact opposite – namely, put forward a political project that would benefit the middle classes, who also constitute the vast majority of the national electorate.
More specifically, such a program is necessary to address the vital interests of the middle classes at all different levels of their human and political existence. Those interests range from individual and family life to society’s broader level to the state level to the overall level of national interests(s).
Now, have a look at the Table below. It is based on (a still ongoing analysis of mine on) the policy items that ND leader Mitsotakis prioritized, and consistently referred to, during his campaign against the populist government of SYRIZA/ANEL from the time he assumed his party’s leadership (January 2016) until ND’s electoral victory in July 2019.
What becomes clear from the information condensed in the Table above are the following points: (1) Liberal opposition has to address the entire middle class and offer it a comprehensive, realistic, and credible policy package. (2) The middle class interests have to be addressed in their entirety – from individual to nation-wide level (3) By and large, middle-class interests are related to three basic liberal principles, or domains: individual freedom; social and institutional order; the creation of a citizen-friendly and inclusive state. (4) Each item in the liberal policy agenda corresponds to specific political goals: attracting investments and encouraging economic growth; restoring public security and improving national education levels; providing a good and efficient administration; revitalizing the bonds of the Greek diaspora with the motherland.
