Populist leaders and parties

Populist leaders and parties have emerged as significant political forces in many countries around the world. They have garnered attention for their ability to mobilise support by capitalising on the grievances and aspirations of ordinary citizens.

Populist leaders and parties place themselves as an anti system in the face of traditional politics. The political establishment is described as corrupt and not attentive to the needs of the people. Therefore, they present themselves as the voice of the people, ready to listen to them and help them in the face of corrupt and disinterested politics.

Their communication strategy is enhanced by the ability to transmit messages and simple solutions to complex problems.

It does not matter, if then, actually, the problem will be solved: the important thing is that the message is collected, a fundamental phase for the consensus building. 

Despite the diversity of facets, very often there is a common ground among populist parties: the assertion of national interests against global ones, the protection of national sovereignty, restrictive immigration policies, safeguarding the cultural identity of their country. Moreover, they are often able to read the methods of communication in the best way, using them as much as possible compared to traditional politics.

In recent years, helped also by the ability to transmit messages very simplified even on complex problems, populists have established themselves in social networks, often with greater success than the establishment policy.

Observe the following examples:

Source: Spain’s Vox party leader says Ukrainian refugees, not Muslims, should be welcome. (n.d.).

Source: Speech by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the World Congress of Families

Source: Rauhala, E.(2023, April 6). How progressive Denmark became the face of the anti-migration left. Washington Post.

Watch the speech of Giorgia Meloni during Viva21 in Spain and find populist elements: