Why are populists winning? Disillusionment, delivery and the future of democracy
5 May 2026, 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm
Location: Bush House, Strand campus, 30 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BG
Think tank: The Policy Institute
This event hosted by UK think tank the Policy Institute discusses disillusionment, delivery and the future of democracy.
In 2024, two billion people went to the polls, with populist movements making significant gains across many Western democracies.
From the return of President Donald Trump in the United States, to the surge of Marine Le Pen in France, to the electoral breakthroughs of Reform UK, established political systems are now facing mounting pressure.
As voters across the UK prepare to head to the polls, these trends feel increasingly close to home.
Is this peak populism or populism’s tipping point?
Disillusionment with traditional parties has grown alongside a new information environment that rewards outrage and erodes trust – in institutions, in expertise, and in the idea that the system still delivers for ordinary people.
So how did we end up here? Is Viktor Orban’s defeat the beginning of the turning of the tide? What does research tell us about who is turning to populist movements, and why? And what might this shift mean for the future of democratic governance, policymaking and public services?
Join our panel ahead of the vote to discuss these questions and more.
Speakers
The Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, – Chair of the Business and Trade Select Committee and author of Why Populists Are Winning and How to Beat Them
Gaby Hinsliff – Columnist at The Guardian
Sam Freedman – Senior Fellow at Institute for Government
Professor Bobby Duffy – Director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London (chair)
