The Impact of Populism on the European Union: ‘The People’ and the Brussels Bubble

The introductory chapter places the book in the context of the literature on populism and European studies. It serves to sketch the multiple issues and the burning questions that the rise of populism has unwrapped for scholars and practitioners at national and international level. More specifically, it delves into the matter of the impact of populism on European institutions and civil society, setting out the idea of the Brussels bubble as a key aspect in its understanding. By presenting the empirical and normative implication of populism for the EU politics, this chapter explains the relevance of a debate involving academics and practitioners. It then offers an overview of the sections and chapters.