Description
This study investigates how European populism employs anti-globalization and anti-war discourses to influence the 2024 European Parliament elections, focusing on France, Italy, Poland, and Romania. Applying framing theory, the research reveals how populist leaders construct narrative frames that challenge current political realities and offer alternative visions of the future. The case studies were selected using the "Most Similar Systems Design" (MSSD) method, ensuring comparability between countries with different contexts but similar populist manifestations. Data was collected from social media campaigns, utilizing the content analysis to examine how populist messages are communicated and perceived in real-time.
The findings show that despite significant contextual differences, anti-globalization and anti-war discourses share common frameworks that exploit social and economic grievances to mobilize supporters. This paper examines how these frameworks influence more inclusive political visions. In France and Italy, anti-globalization frames emphasize economic sovereignty and cultural nationalism, while in Poland and Romania, the focus is on threats to national security. Anti-war speeches reflect anti-NATO sentiments and calls for neutrality. This study provides insights into understanding the complexities and dynamism of contemporary European populism and its broader implications for European politics.
