The Birth and Death of Liberal Democracy in Hungary: The Populist Logic of Polarisation as Hegemony

The Birth and Death of Liberal Democracy in Hungary explores the transformation of Hungary’s political landscape in the post-communist era and demonstrates how political populism and polarisation became mainstream in the country. How did a nation once regarded as a model of democratic transition become an electoral autocracy and an exemplar for populist, illiberal, post-liberal, and radical-right leaders across the globe?

In the book, Emilia Palonen critiques the simplistic use of terms such as ‘populism’ and ‘illiberalism’, emphasising the importance of understanding the relational and performative nature of political discourse.  She highlights how populist logic – framing politics as a struggle between two camps, has fuelled polarisation and eroded democratic engagement. The Hungarian case illustrates that populism and polarisation are not external threats to democracy but can arise from within it. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s consolidation of power was not the result of a sudden authoritarian takeover, but rather the outcome of long-term political polarisation and widespread public disillusionment with democracy. This shift was enabled by the failures of left-wing parties and a growing public appetite for stability, even at the expense of democratic norms.

Palonen draws particularly on Ernesto Laclau’s theory of populism to argue that political polarisation is not merely a reflection of societal divisions but a strategic logic of political meaning-making. This hegemonic polarisation fosters rigid political identities and antagonisms, making constructive democratic debate increasingly difficult. Rather than focusing solely on demographic or interest-based divisions, Palonen emphasises the role of affect, identification, and rhetorical articulation in shaping political subjectivities. The global rise of populism is contextualised within this framework. Palonen stresses that populism is not a model of governance but a style of mobilisation that fills the symbolic void at the heart of democracy. Ultimately, the book calls for a rethinking of democratic theory and practice, advocating for an agonistic model of democracy in which political contestation is embraced rather than suppressed. It warns that polarisation, though often attributed to populist leaders, is sustained by both sides of the political spectrum and reflects deeper structural and discursive dynamics.

Emilia Palonen is an associate professor of Political Science at the University of Helsinki. She currently works as one of the research directors of the Datafication Research Program at the Helsinki Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities and as a research group leader at the Helsinki Hub on Emotions, Populism and Polarisation.