21st of November 2019

On the 21st of November, KDC Nijmegen organized the annual conference of Civitas, the Forum of Archives and Research on Christian Democracy. The conference was devoted to the topic of ‘Christian Democratic People’s Parties and the Rise of Populism 1940s-2010s.’ The conference was opened by Civitas-president Prof. dr. Renato Moro who pleaded for a renewed reflection on the relation between Populism and Christian Democracy. First steps to answer his plea ere made in the following hours. Prof. dr. Michael Gehler of the University of Hildesheim set the ball rolling with a captivating keynote lecture on ‘Populism as a surface Phenomenon’. The morning’s debates concerned National Developments while the discussions in the afternoon were looking at European Trends. Speakers from Portugal, Belgium, Romania and the Netherlands presented their research and findings. Prof. dr. Lars Rensmann of the University of Groningen served as respondent and led the discussions with some sharp insights. The debates were closed with the launch of a new website and, more importantly, the first Civitas publication: Christian Democracy and the Fall of Communism’. The book was edited by Prof. dr. Michael Gehler, Prof. dr. Piotr H. Kosicki and Mag. dr. Helmut Wohnout. A must-read!