Private Participation: How Populists Engage with International Organizations

Abstract

The populist backlash against international organizations (IOs) is well known, but to what extent do populists engage with IOs, and what form does this engagement take? We theoretically draw a distinction between public versus private forms of interactions with IOs. We hypothesize that more concealed types of engagement appeal to populists because they allow populists to use the benefits IOs offer, while avoiding the domestic costs associated with visible involvement. We test our theory using novel data based on archival documentation from the International Monetary Fund and find strong evidence that populists prefer private participation. The study advances scholarship on the international dimensions of populism, with implications for IO legitimacy and accountability.

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