Experts Discuss Populism in Open Society Forum

The 17th Open Society Forum is taking place in Tallinn on Tuesday, focusing on the theme of populism.

Speakers include Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake, Finnish Minister of European Affairs Alexander Stubb, and opposition activist and former world chess champion Garry Kasparov.

“Over recent years, socioeconomic and political changes in Europe have given way to rising populism. This results in growing anger towards the European Union and European values,” Mall Hellam, executive director of the Open Estonia Foundation, says on the organization's website.

She continues, “In some of the oldest democracies in Europe, populist parties have gained enough support as to have reached representation in the parliament. In the hands of populists, new technologies have become powerful instruments and the growing strength of online populism should by no means be underestimated by political parties.”

Other speakers invited to the international event include Heather Grabbe, Catherine Fieschi, Jamie Bartlett, Peter Kreko, Mari-Liis Jakobson, Fraser Cameron, Kadri Liik, Jonas Rolett, Justin Burke.

Promoting democracy and civil society, the Open Estonian Foundation is affiliated with the Open Society Foundations network, established by philanthropist George Soros.

http://news.err.ee/politics/16602636-b2fb-4f7c-a25e-c4d28c086af4

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