The European Union (EU) has been struggling with simultaneous crises of sovereign debt and fiscal austerity; refugees from conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria; and the rise of populist far-right parties across Europe. But behind these challenges lie less visible insecurities about economic prospects, social wellbeing, and a widespread expectation that the EU is unable to answer the challenges of 21st century global politics. In this respect the EU is challenged by the emotional appeal of far-right populism as xenophobic groups within the UK, Hungary, Poland, and most other member states seek to blame the EU for the insecurities and anxieties of the age. Analysing the interplay of these crises with the emotional appeal of populism in a selection of member states, this paper considers the role of ontological insecurities and social imaginations of activist groups. The paper will focus on the both the identification of narratives and discourses of ontological insecurity and the projection of social imaginaries of populist politics onto the imagined objects of the Other; the EU.