EU populism & democratic backsliding including lessons from Hungary

Thursday, 28 May 2026, 5.30pm to 7pm

Across Europe, the rise of populist movements and concerns about democratic backsliding have raised fundamental questions about the resilience of liberal institutions. Hungary has often stood at the centre of this debate, long seen as a case study of entrenched illiberal governance. Yet the recent landslide victory of Péter Magyar has reshaped the political landscape, suggesting that electoral change remains possible even in systems widely viewed as tilted. This discussion will examine what Hungary’s experience reveals about the dynamics of populism, the conditions under which democratic renewal can occur, and what lessons can be drawn for safeguarding democratic norms across Europe.

Jason Xidias holds a PhD in European Politics from King's College London. He was also a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, he lectures in Politics and Global Studies at New York University's Madrid campus. He is the author of several books with Routledge on key thinkers, concepts, and seminal works in political science.

Series: Europeanist Society (EUSOC)

Venue: Lincoln College - Lower Lecture Room - Lower Lecture Room Lincoln College Turl Street Oxford Oxfordshire OX1 3DR United Kingdom

Department: Politics & Int Relations (Department)

Organiser: Severin Dauer

Host: Europeanist Society (EUSOC)