We often attribute populism’s rise to structural factors — economic insecurity, digital technology, and cultural backlash. But Manoel Gehrke and Feng Yang reveal a more immediate trigger: former leaders' conviction for corruption. In less democratic contexts, these rulings open the door for governments to amplify personalistic appeals — and boost their popularity
Populist rhetoric often pits a virtuous people against a corrupt elite. But when populist leaders invoke these definitions, do they always mean the same thing? Maurits Meijers, Robert A. Huber, and Andrej Zaslove explore the role of ideology in such definitions, shedding light on why populism remains a powerful political force
Camil Ungureanu and Delia Dumitrica examine the phenomenon of Diana Șoșoacă, Romania's far-right strongwoman leader and TikTok sensation. While the populist right tends to champion traditional gender roles, Șoșoacă is crafting fresh gender narratives that resonate with female voters,
Oliver Gruber and Philipp Schnell examine how populist radical-right parties are extending their influence far beyond traditional populist policy areas, such as immigration. Across Europe, these parties are switching their focus to education policy.
Jacob Wentz analyses populist rhetoric and communication strategies in the election campaigns of Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni. Both leaders adopt similar approaches, criticising traditional media, personalising politics, and using language that marginalises immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. We should not, he argues, underestimate the power of their rhetoric.
Populist impulses are having a growing impact on the political landscape of several Western-style democracies. Jamie Gillies, Vincent Raynauld and Angela Wisniewski unpack the effects of populism in Canada, arguing that populist strategies grew as public faith in government messaging eroded during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The study of the populist radical right has recently turned to localism. Elisa Bellè argues that this is related to the distinctly territorial nature of some of its recent successes.
Eva Anduiza and Guillem Rico argue that sexist attitudinal backlash is partially responsible for the rise of the Spanish radical populist right. The electoral consequences of changes in sexist attitudes seem to be related more to heightened feminist mobilisation than to the increasing visibility and normalisation of the radical right
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