Gesprächsreihe „Up to East“ – Trump hinter den Spiegeln

In the organizer's words:

How do right-wing populists in the USA and (Eastern) Europe learn from each other? A conversation with Jan Werner Müller and Jakub Majmurek on the second part of the Up to East series.

US Vice President JD Vance 's speech at the 61st Munich Security Conference was interpreted as an attack on transatlantic relations on the one hand and as building a bridge to right-wing populist and right-wing nationalist forces in Europe on the other. It illustrates a new political dynamic between authoritarian and anti-pluralist movements, which manifests itself in isolationism, EU scepticism, anti-migration policies and the defense of so-called "traditional values". Democracy is also increasingly being called into question, for example through attacks on independent institutions, media and NGOs.

Authoritarian governments in Eastern Europe were long regarded by nationalist and far-right forces in the West as a testing ground where they could observe tactics of pressure on institutions and civil society. Today, the USA shows how quickly illiberal ideas can be translated into political practice. Right-wing populist actors in East and West are increasingly copying their strategies from each other.

Political scientist Jan-Werner Müller and journalist Jakub Majmurek discuss current lessons from right-wing populist politics and democratic counter-movements.

The guests are:

🐾 Jakub Majmurek is a political journalist, film and art critic from Warsaw. He writes regularly for numerous media outlets, including Poland's largest daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, Aspen Review and the film magazine Kino. He is a member of the editorial board of Krytyka Polityczna - a left-wing think tank, publishing house and online magazine.

🐾 Jan-WernerMüller is a political scientist and professor at Princeton University and is known for his work on democracy, populism and constitutionalism. Müller's influential book "What is Populism?" (2016) has been widely translated and cited in global debates. His research examines the role of institutions, political representation and public discourse in sustaining democratic societies. Beyond the academic world, he contributes his analyses to international public debates - including articles for The Guardian, The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Price information:

Participation is only possible with a pre-booked ticket. We therefore ask you to register via this ticket portal. Places are limited, admission is free. Access to the event is barrier-free.