The Future of Europe: Nationalism and Populism as a Threat to Democracy

Particularly since the financial crisis of 2008, the middle class - traditionally considered a stronghold for democracies - has suffered a clear setback from which it is only recovering slowly. This is one of the explanations for the rise of populism on both sides of the Atlantic, next to (perceptions of) immigration. Nationalism, racism and Islamophobia spread in many Western countries, representing a threat to liberal democracies not seen since the Second World War. Is this an irreversible process? What are the alternatives to regenerate the democratic system and to revalidate its political legitimacy in the eyes of those who feel left behind?