The secret of success: Slovenian populist political parties

There is significant emphasis on the populist modes of political mobilization in modern Slovenian politics, both on national and local levels of authority. Political extremes and populisms gained acceleration in the periods of global economic and migrant crisis in late 2010s. Increasing public rejection and distrust towards the party politics created an opening for new political actors, whose points of access in politics were not dependent on traditional party cleavages, but rather on their personal ability to present themselves as viable alternatives to the traditional parties by emphasizing popular issues, higher political and ethical standards, and their distinction from party elites. Chapter analyses the growing influence of party-based populisms and raise the questions about the continued relevance of political parties and their leaders in populist political environment, among them a) whether populism represents a challenge to traditional modes of doing politics in Slovenian democracy and b) whether populism could contribute towards the reversal of democratic processes.