Populism and the Strength of Freedom of Information Laws: Insights From European Countries (2000–2022)

Abstract

This paper investigates whether populist parties serve as a corrective to democratic deficiencies by enhancing access to information, or if they represent a threat to transparency, thereby undermining democratic accountability. The research employs a dual-method approach that combines quantitative and qualitative analyses. The quantitative analysis draws on a novel dataset measuring the strength of Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation across 11 European countries from 2000 to 2022. To deepen these findings, the study incorporates an in-depth qualitative analysis of Hungary—a country characterized by the dominant position in government of a right-wing populist party. Results reveal that the effect of populist parties on access to information is contingent upon their degree of access to government power and their ideological orientation.