VÄNSTERPOPULISM I POLEN? En kombinerad idealtyps- och diskursanalys av det polska vänsterpartiet Razem

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the rhetoric of the Polish left-wing party Razem through an ideal type analysis and discourse analysis, based on Chantal Mouffe´s theory of left wing populism. While left-wing populism has been extensively studied in Wester and Southern Europe, there is a lack of research on it in Central Easter Europe. The study analyzes four ideal types – the people, the elite, hegemonic struggle and the populist moment – to determine how Razem constructs its political discourse. The findings suggest that Razem exhibits several characteristics associated with left-wing populism, particularly its inclusive definition of “the people”, and its opposition to Poland’s neoliberal elite. However, Razem´s rhetoric differs from other European left-populists movements in its relatively minor emphasis on the EU as an elite, focusing instead on the domestic neoliberal and conservative actors. Razem also differs in how it positions itself against both liberal and conservative forces in Poland’s political landscape. By applying Mouffe´s theory to a Central Easter context, this study contributes to the understanding of how left-wing populist strategies can develop in Central Easter Europe and how they differ from their counterparts in Western and Southern Europe.