Chairs
Manuel Restrepo Medina manuel.restrepo@urosario.edu.co; Luisa Fernanda García López luisa.garcia@urosario.edu.co

The strained relationship between populism and political representation constitutes one of the pillars of the crisis currently facing many democracies. Within this framework, modalities of direct or semi-direct democracy—such as referendums and plebiscites—allow for the immediate manifestation of the general will and are often valorised when the aim is to displace or curtail traditional representative democracy, thereby promoting a direct link between the people and
power.

However, this conception of will presupposes a homogeneous people: a solid unit that clearly delineates who belongs to the demos and who is excluded. Consequently, populism incorporates an anti-political dimension: it seeks to found an idealised community—an authentic, incorruptible, and united people—which reduces the plurality inherent to democratic societies.

Building upon this analysis of how democracy is affected by the distinct manifestations of populism, this workshop aims to address three particular thematic axes:

1. The crisis of constitutionalism and representative democracy. Populism places strain on the
   foundations of constitutionalism by questioning the limits on power and relativising the centrality of representative institutions. The narrative of an ‘authentic people’ versus corrupt elites erodes the legitimacy of parliaments, courts, and oversight bodies, weakening checks and balances and promoting the notion that the immediate majoritarian will can supersede constitutional
   frameworks. This axis examines how representative democracy is displaced by plebiscitary mechanisms and how this entails consequences for institutional stability and the protection of rights.
2. The intertwining of nationalism and populism. Populism is frequently intertwined with nationalist discourses that exalt a homogeneous and exclusionary identity, defining who belongs to the ‘true people’ and who remains outside the political community. This imbrication reinforces
   dynamics of polarisation, fuels mistrust towards diversity, and justifies policies that restrict the rights of minorities, migrants, or dissident groups. This axis seeks to analyse how the combinationof populism and nationalism results in a closure of the democratic space and an exclusionary redefinition of the demos.
3. Populist practices naturalised in state action. Beyond discourse, populism translates into institutional practices that become normalised in public administration: the concentration of power in the Executive, the undermining of oversight bodies, the plebiscitary use of consultations and referendums, and the manipulation of official communication to construct a singular narrative. Upon becoming institutionalised, these practices erode democratic culture and engender a State that operates under a logic of permanent exceptionality. This axis will facilitate a discussion on how such practices have become naturalised and the risks they pose to the integrity of the Rule of Law.