Europe’s populist parties may shift climate debate

Significance

While most attention has fixed on populist parties’ views on immigration and cultural integration, their rhetoric often targets other policy areas, notably climate and energy.

Impacts

• Populist parties are likely to remain a significant force in many Western European countries, particularly if economic growth remains slow.
• Commitments to clean energy are vulnerable to concerns about affordability and competitiveness.
• These challenges are likely to impact on the EU and blunt the Commission’s ambition to pursue its own energy and climate strategies.