Özet:

In recent years, the European political landscape has been marked by the emergence of parties that defy the usual system, with considerable success. Observers have described this new movement using categories or labels such as “far-right,” “right-wing political parties,” “radical right,” “populism,” or “national populism.” This study aims to scrutinize direct democracy and to understand the phenomenon of populism in the Swiss context. In the recent history of the oldest democracy in Europe, the homeland of direct democracy, spared by fascist and Nazi dictatorial regimes during the 1930s, far-right or populist movements and parties existed. But, it is during the 1960s and 1970s that real signs of intolerance and calls for authoritarianism rise. In the 1990s, however, the defense of national identity and neutrality, the fear of foreigners, and the criticism of the ruling elites became sociopolitical facts in Switzerland that would bring about a remarkable change in political balances.

Anahtar Kelimeler: