Why populists are winning and how to beat them

Why populists are winning and how to beat them

From Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio by LSE Film and Audio Team

May 13, 2026 · 1h 30m

About this episode

The episode discusses the rise of populism in global politics and its implications for democracy.

In 2024, two billion people went to vote – and populism won big. Donald Trump returned to the White House. Marine Le Pen surged in France. Reform UK became Britain’s most successful far-right party in modern history. Across the West, authoritarian populists now govern one-quarter of the world’s democracies. But is this peak populism – or the populists’ tipping point?

Topics covered

  • populism
  • politics
  • democracy
  • authoritarianism
  • elections

Keywords

  • populism
  • elections
  • Donald Trump
  • Marine Le Pen
  • Reform UK
  • authoritarianism
  • democracy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Reform UK

More episodes of Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Latest 100 | LSE Public lectures and events | Audio podcast page.