Should lobbyists work with populist policymakers?
Helping lobbyists address the strategic considerations and dilemmas surrounding potential collaborations with political fringes.
With the next European legislature expected to lean towards the far-right, lobbyists are rightly wondering whether to engage with MEPs from the political fringes.
Can democratically-elected officials be excluded from the necessary discussions that surround decision-making, however anti-European their positioning? Should lobbyists sell their values for a few handshakes?
Although I don’t have the definitive answer for all organisations, here are four questions you might want to consider before the next Parliament’s first session.
But before we start, why don’t you share The Beubble with a colleague?
Can we afford not to talk to them?
Lobbying might be the fifth power, but it is first and foremost a business.
Lobbyists must deliver on the legal objectives of their employers, whether they are from the for-profit or nonprofit sector. Lobbyists might not have the choice — if the far right is to play a decisive role in the next legislature — not to include them in their outreach strategy.
Therefore, I would recommend, immediately after the elections, assessing the forces in presence at the European Parliement to try and understand whether the far-right will become an obligatory interlocutor to you.
Is it against our values?
Lobbying being a business does not mean one has to sell its soul. It must be conducted with core values.
Is your organisation committed to values that are not compatible with those of the far-right? Then it is understandable not to engage with them. Just be mindful that you may not achieve the same results as other organisations who do.
You can start answering these question now: what values are paramount to you and your organisation? How are these values represented in the way you engage with policymakers? Do you refuse to engage with certain political currents?
Answering these question will hopefully put you on the right track.
Would they even listen to us?
That’s the corollary question to the previous one.
If your values may be compatible with those of the far-right, you are not guaranteed that they feel the same way.
Many populists will be elected on an anti-lobby platform. And while I expect some of them to forget about this claim on 10 June, some might sincerely believe that everything wrong with Europe is because of lobbies.
In that case, will they even lend you an ear? I would recommend — and if you indeed decide to try and talk to them — testing the waters first with low-commitment activities to assess their personal willingness to work with interest representatives.
Would we publicly acknowledge working with the far-right?
Lobbying is, in the general opinion, associated with shady deals and behind-closed-doors tractations. It doesn’t have to be this way.
I call it the Truth-Test. If you would not publicly acknowledge something, then it does not belong to your strategy.
This stems from two arguments. If it’s bad and someone uncovers the truth, it will damage your reputation. And reputation is all we have in this industry. Furthermore, if it’s bad — why do it in the first place? If interest representation is to play a democratic role, it must be accountable to the democratic principles of fairness, honesty, and transparency.
In conclusion: imagine Politico (or another media in the bubble) lists the organisations that engage with MEPs of the political fringes, you must be OK with that.
Thanks for reading!
I’m Alexandre Météreau, EU lobbyists and campaigner.
The Beubble is a side project where I share insights and practical advice on EU policymaking and influence.
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