Democracy at the Crossroads: Electoral Institutions and the Rise of Populism in Contemporary Politics

The rise of populism over the last half century has been linked to the wave of democratic backsliding affecting many of our world's longest standing democracies, eroding long established norms and institutions. The following paper explores the link between populism’s rise and the design of electoral systems, examining the ways in which they interact to either curb or encourage the spread of populist movements. Through an examination of the cases of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, it demonstrates the crucial role that institutions play, influencing whether populism will either become a disruptive force or integrate itself within an existing party system. This analysis highlights the importance of institutional design on democratic health, with a focus on threats to democratic norms and the erosion of public trust in political institutions. Ultimately, the paper argues for the importance of understanding the relationship between electoral systems and populism for the sake of protecting and strengthening democratic resilience against such challenges.