Should rising-right populist parties be considered a legitimate democratic force?

Context

Right-wing populist parties have surged across democracies in recent years, challenging traditional political establishments by appealing to voters' economic anxieties and cultural concerns. The debate over their legitimacy hinges on whether they represent authentic democratic expression or threaten democratic norms—a tension that has intensified as these parties gain electoral strength in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. This question matters because how societies answer it shapes everything from coalition-building to media coverage to institutional responses.