Karel Schwarzenberg: Populists and Extremists in Europe Win because They are not Boring

Karel Schwarzenberg, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic (2007-2009, 2010-2013), believes that a large number of political figures in Europe does not stand out from the general mass, and this gives additional benefits to populists and extremists. He said this during the 11^th Kyiv Security Forum, organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation Open Ukraine.

“Populist and extremist parties have succeeded. Why? First – they are not boring. Let’s admit that, by contrast to the days of my youth, when there were such politicians as Mrs.Thatcher, Helmut Kohl, Mitterrand, who were interesting characters and they had what to say, the most of the modern leaders are rather mousy persons, and therefore boring,” he said.

According to Schwarzenberg, in the recent times, it has helped populists to win twice: at the presidential and parliamentary elections.