All too often, social democracy has amounted to populism, opposing any cuts in public expenditures and even deregulation, which would have enhanced productivity. European voters are now punishing social-democratic parties, which have become weaker than at any time since World War I. Instead, a fiscally responsible center-right alignment of political forces has taken power in all but three of the 27 EU countries.
社会民主主义很容易转变为民粹主义，反对任何公共支出的削减甚至去监管化（这样做本可以刺激生产率），这样的例子在历史上屡见不鲜。欧洲选民现在正在惩罚社会民主党，使该派进入了自一战以来最惨淡的时期。与此相反，在财政上更加负责的中右翼联盟大获全胜，在27个欧盟国家中的24个取得了执政权。