The Crisis of the Left in the Populist Zeitgeist: Responses, Adaptations, and Transformations in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

This panel invites critical reflection on the present and future of the political left, with a particular focus on Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), a region in which the populist Zeitgeist has profoundly reshaped party competition and democratic norms, often before similar trends gained prominence in Western Europe. Across the continent, established party systems have been disrupted by the rise of movements that redraw ideological boundaries and challenge liberal democratic institutions. While populist radical right parties increasingly shape parliaments and governments, left-wing and radical left actors face mounting electoral, organisational, and ideological pressures. They confront direct competition for traditional constituencies, declining trust in representative institutions, and broader challenges to progressive visions of democracy and social justice. These dynamics are particularly acute in CEE, where many traditional left-wing parties have experienced deep and often long-standing crises. The panel examines how left-wing parties and movements in CEE have responded to these pressures. In many cases, they have adopted elements of their opponents’ rhetoric, strategies, or organisational models, raising fundamental questions about political identity, programmatic coherence, and long-term viability. At the same time, other actors have sought alternative paths of renewal through engagement with civil society, the construction of transnational alliances, or issue-based mobilisation. By analysing these diverse responses, the panel seeks to identify both the constraints confronting the left and the opportunities that may still exist within contemporary populist contexts. Conceptually, the panel aims to reverse a dominant analytical perspective in the study of populism. Much of the existing literature treats radical right parties as dependent variables, focusing primarily on their emergence and electoral success. By contrast, this panel approaches them as independent variables, asking how left-wing and radical left actors adapt, resist, or transform in response to their rise. This shift enables a more nuanced understanding of party competition and democratic change, moving beyond simplistic left–right or populism–anti-populism dichotomies. Empirically, the panel will address several interrelated questions: How have segments of the left in Central and Eastern Europe engaged with the populist Zeitgeist? To what extent have they adapted to, opposed, or embraced populist rhetoric and strategies? What organisational, ideological, or electoral transformations have they undertaken in response to dissatisfaction with liberal democracy, persistent socio-economic inequality, and cultural polarisation? How do left actors position themselves in relation to international alignments and major geopolitical conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine or the crisis in Gaza? The panel offers two main contributions. Empirically, it provides comparative insight into the strategies and trajectories of left-wing actors operating in increasingly unfavourable political environments. Analytically, it advances debates on party competition, democratic resilience, and the transformation of political identities in Europe. By foregrounding regional, transnational, and European dimensions, the panel addresses a significant gap in political science and related social sciences, assessing whether and how the left remains capable of articulating credible political alternatives and advancing progressive agendas in an era of intensified populist challenge.

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