European commission chairman Jean-Claude Juncker has warned against established political parties such as the VVD, PvdA and Christian Democrats ‘imitating’ populist parties.

In an interview with the Volkskrant, Juncker says European countries would become ungovernable if that happened.

Traditional parties should not join in Europe-bashing like the populist parties, he said. ‘If you want to talk to angry citizens, you have to engage with them, not run away and shout,’ Juncker said.

If the established parties continue to follow the populist parties, European countries will become ungovernable, he said. ‘The European parliament will be filled with eurosceptics and that would be a disaster,’ the commission chairman warned.