Volt Europa says citizen-focused democracy can help tame populism | Tom describes an evening with DiEM25 and James warns against direct democracy | Pelle Christy tells upstart progressive parties get ready to make compromises
Citizen-focused movements and parties like DiEM25 and Volt Europa are looking for ways to challenge politics-as-usual. But are they a smart way to fight populism and shore up the European project? Colombe Cahen-Salvador, a one of Volt's three founders, explains why participatory budgets and software linking voters with representatives in the European Parliament are part of her party's platform. Tom says he likes Volt's optimism. He also says he's already given €25 to DiEM25. James warns of the dangers of direct democracy. Pelle Christy, an EU affairs expert from Denmark with a Eurosceptic past, says the new parties are going to have to make tough compromises if elected — or risk making Europe’s problems with populism worse.