Description
The nexus between the evolution of populism in Italy and its impact on foreign policy is still an under-studied topic. This study helps in illustrating both M5s’s foreign policy vision and the relevance of the Italian case in understanding the nexus between populism and foreign policy. Unlike other expressions of Italian populism, the M5s appeared as a “pure form of populism” classifiable in the category of “valence populism ”, or populism focused on non-positional issues such as the fight against corruption, increased transparency, democratic reform and moral integrity, while emphasizing anti-establishment motives. In no other European country can we find a similar case, although there are other cases of “valence populist parties” . This study shows how a rapidly growing valence populist movement invented its foreign policy before reaching power and how it adapted this programme once in government. In particular, the analysis helps to understand the EU-turn that has characterized the foreign policy agenda of the M5s. After having evoked the possibility of Italy’s exit from the eurozone in 2013, in the years following 2019 the M5s appeared to be in favour of strengthening the European institutions.
