That’s also true globally.

The European Union is in populism’s line of sight; its structure, philosophy, and policies echo populism’s targets of choice: cosmopolitism, technocracy, supra-national compromises, trade agreements, restrictive budgetary rules, and, above all, open borders within the EU.

The EU relies on a constant need of compromises between member states and Brussels. Populism erodes shared values and the capacity to reach such compromises, making it, for example, more difficult to reach a common ground between the Macron plan for more extensive banking union and more generous mechanisms of solidarity, and Merkel’s preoccupations for more fiscal discipline and member state accountability.

But there is optimism to be shared. The fact is that opinion polls continue to show considerable support for democratic and accountable government and that a clear majority of Europeans cherish the view of themselves as tolerant, open, and diverse. Most Europeans continue to see the European Union with pride, as a grand achievement of and for humankind, a unique fabric of peace and democracy.

No other country followed the United Kingdom in its bitter attempt to exit the European Union. In fact, far from having created a domino effect, the sad spectacle of the Brexit saga is likely to have strengthened Europeans’ support for their union. In polls, the EU’s image is the most positive it has been since 2009, surpassing that of national governments and parliaments, including in Hungary and Poland.15 Meanwhile, Turkey and non-EU Balkan and East European countries want to join this union.

The EU borderless area, called as you know the Schengen zone, allowing the free mobility of 420 million people, covering 26 countries, 4.3 million square kilometers, is certainly a difficult entity to manage, but it is also quite an accomplishment, appreciated every day, in airports, train stations and highways by its citizens. Despite all the controversies about the Eurozone, there is no popular support to leave the common currency. The most Eurosceptic countries remain closer to a reformist approach rather than a rejectionist one.

Despite the strong likelihood that populists and Eurosceptic parties will increase their representation in the next European Parliament, the risks are very low that the May 2019 elections will result in a Eurosceptic parliament. The popular support for these populist parties seems to have reached a plateau, as the migration flow has considerably diminished. Current projections give them around a third of the seats in the EU Parliament, which will make more difficult, but still probable, the negotiation of a functional and stable pro-EU coalition.

The selection of new Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council and the nomination of a new Commission is likely to be a complicated but not insurmountable task in the coming months.

Conclusion

I am confident that populism will not eviscerate liberal democracy in Europe, but it is, and will likely continue to challenge some of its key pillars, especially the rule of law, individual and minority rights, and social, political and religious tolerance.