A year on from the start of the coronavirus pandemic and much of how society operates has changed: digitalisation has accelerated, social movements have become more prominent, and international migration and movement has contracted, to name but a few. But what has changed about the political landscape and, in particular, what has happened to populism?
During 2019, the rise of populism was one of the biggest questions being posed around the world, as millions flocked to demagogic figures. These figures voiced a distrust for the establishment, a resentment towards elites, and often blamed already marginalised groups for society’s ills. However, a number of political commentators saw the coronavirus pandemic as presenting a serious, and possibly even a fatal challenge to populism.