Europe's political debate has become trapped in a binary battle between Eurosceptics and pro-EU forces that is crowding out legitimate democratic alternatives, according to new research from the University of Surrey.
In the study, published in the Journal of Language and Politics, a Surrey researcher examined how mainstream pro-EU politicians and populist parties, those that champion "the people" against a corrupt elite, interact with reform-minded movements that support European integration but challenge its current direction.
The research analysed speeches, manifestos, social media posts and campaign materials from two transnational reform movements, DiEM25 and Volt, alongside prominent pro-EU politician Guy Verhofstadt, former Brexit coordinator and Chair of the Conference on the Future of Europe. The analysis covered the period from the 2013 State of the Union address through to the 2021 Conference on the Future of Europe.
The research found that mainstream pro-EU politicians and populist Eurosceptic parties are locked in a cycle of mutual reinforcement, with each side drawing legitimacy from the other, while progressive movements seeking genuine reform are systematically shut out of the conversation.
Dr Simona Guerra, author of the study and Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics at the University of Surrey, said:
"The EU is caught in a loop. The more mainstream voices frame any criticism as an attack on Europe itself, the more they hand ammunition to the very populists they are trying to defeat. Movements offering a genuine democratic alternative are being squeezed out before the argument even begins."
The research focuses on what it calls "Euroalternativism" – a position that neither rejects the EU nor defends it uncritically but argues for fundamental reform. DiEM25, co-founded by former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, and pan-European party Volt are examined as the two main grassroots examples. Both backed EU membership while calling for greater democratic accountability, economic reform and transparency, and both shared common ground on climate action, tax justice and citizens' participation. Neither found meaningful traction in the European Parliament, with VOLT succeeding in gaining 5 seats in 2024.
Analysis of 67 of Verhofstadt's tweets showed that 58 framed EU politics as a straightforward choice between pro-European forces and Eurosceptic threats. The research argues that responding to all criticism in this way does not weaken populism. It leaves no space for legitimate reformist voices and pushes voters towards more extreme positions rather than addressing their concerns.
"Euroscepticism in the European Parliament is not simply a problem to be managed. It is a signal that democratic representation is falling short. Progressive, reform-minded voices that support European integration while challenging its direction deserve a place in that debate."