Léonie de Jonge

Léonie de Jonge is a researcher at the Research Centre for the Study of Democratic Cultures and Politics (DemCP) within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Groningen. Holding a PhD in Political Science, she has established herself as a prominent scholar focusing on democratic challenges, with particular expertise in right-wing populism and extremism across European contexts.

Her research interests center on the dynamics of democratic cultures and political movements, with special attention to right-wing populism in the Netherlands and Belgium. De Jonge's work spans comparative politics, examining how extremist phenomena manifest across different national contexts including Europe and Latin America. She has made significant contributions to understanding the organizational structures of populist radical right parties, extremism in regional contexts like IJsselland and Noord-Nederland, and the digital transformation of higher education.

Analysis of her 53 research outputs reveals a consistent focus on democratic resilience against populist challenges, with recent publications addressing extremism analysis, comparative studies of far-right movements, and digital governance in academia. Her work demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between political science, sociology, and security studies.

• Gratama Wetenschapsprijs (2024)
• Impact Award Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen (2023)
• Winner of the POLIS PhD Poster Competition (2018)

De Jonge maintains an active public profile with 242 press/media appearances, regularly providing expert commentary on political developments including German elections and the rise of far-right movements. She participates in numerous professional activities including public presentations on extremism and polarization in Dutch municipalities, and has organized educational events such as pub quizzes on political history in Groningen province. Her work demonstrates a strong commitment to bridging academic research with societal impact through public engagement and policy-relevant scholarship.

As part of the Research Centre for the Study of Democratic Cultures and Politics, de Jonge collaborates with colleagues like P. Nanninga and F. Valk on regional extremism analyses, contributing to both academic discourse and practical approaches to addressing democratic challenges at municipal and regional levels.