ABSTRACT
The decrease of interest in mainstream parties is opening up an opportunity for populist parties to increase their influence in the political landscape. In order to understand the rise of populist leaders’ influence, one needs to take into account political, social and economic factors, such as the crisis of the nation-state, xenophobia, fears of globalisation and domestic electoral volatility. A consideration of Europe’s multicultural characteristics, political history and needs reveals a European context more than a European Union. That is the main argument defended by Taggart: populism will emerge in many different forms and will appear as a series of fractured instances, based on a common set of elements. In methodological terms research is based on a qualitative approach to content analysis, through category construction, followed by indicators and units of analysis. Category analysis, supported by content analysis, draws on Taggart’s identification of populist features in the political message of the Portuguese presidents.
