The Fifth Republic as a Populism Accelerator (legrandcontinent.eu)

• Populism operates through ideology, strategy, and charisma.
• Institutional decline in parties shifts focus to individual leadership.
• French democratic tension persists between representation and incarnation.

"Historian Marc Lazar examines the evolution of populism in France, defining it as a combination of ideology, strategy, and style. He argues that the Fifth Republic has evolved into a structural accelerator for populist movements. As traditional parties weaken and politics become hyper-personalized around the presidency, the tension between representative democracy and the demand for direct popular sovereignty deepens. Lazar views populism not as a transitory anomaly, but as a recurring symptom of the French system's struggle to balance representative governance with the symbolic manifestation of the 'people's will' during times of crisis."