European populism and Trumpist populism: real vs phony?

AUTHORITARIANS with an animus against ethnic minorities are on the march across the Western world. They control governments in Hungary and Poland, and will soon take power in the United States. And they're organising across borders: Austria's Freedom Party, founded by former Nazis, has signed an agreement with Russia's ruling party - and met Donald Trump's choice for national security adviser.

But what should we call these groups? Many reporters are using the term "populist", which seems inadequate and misleading. I guess racism can be considered populist in the sense that it represents the views of some non-elite people. But are the other shared features of this movement - addiction to conspiracy theories, indifference to the rule of law, a penchant for punishing critics - really captured by the "populist" label?

Still, the European members of this emerging alliance - an axis of evil? - have offered some real benefits to workers. Hungary's Fidesz party has provided mortgage relief and pushed down utility prices. Poland's Law and Justice party has increased child benefits, raised the minimum wage and reduced the retirement age. France's National Front is running as a defender of that nation's extensive welfare state - but only for the right people.