Movements try their hand at government

The failure of the European ruling classes in managing global challenges is the main reason why populists are enjoying such success, but consensus doesn’t mean they can do the job.

For over 20 years now, there’s been talk of a populist zeitgeist, a wave of social dissent, often primitive and simplistic. It feeds on radical arguments and collective emotions, spreads suspicion, sows doubts and thrives on verbal provocations which quite often lead to physical ones. Populism often attempts to transform charismatic leadership into a cult of personality, gathering support among those who feel marginalised by society and progress, the self-proclaimed victims of globalisation. 

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