The anti-elitist strategy of political parties as a populist tool to (re)gain electoral support

Abstract

ABSTRACT The growing distrust of citizens towards political parties being the main actors of institutionalised politics, expressed through anti-establishment emotions, triggers an adaptive supply-side response. European political scenes coexist with politicians using anti-elitist and people-centred rhetoric, political movements eschewing the party organisational format, and institutionalised parties seeking a new formula for their relationship with citizens. The use of populist tools by political newcomers and old-timers was analysed using examples from Poland. The main methods of the analysis include a critical analysis of the literature on the subject, content analysis of the statements presented by politicians in traditional and social media, individual in-depth interviews, and participant observation of political events. Adopting a demand-supply approach, three populist-based tactics were identified to gain, maintain, or regain electoral support, which make varying degrees of use of anti-elitism, people- or citizen-centred rhetoric, and anti-party resentment.