This week, Mark Leonard welcomes Liam Byrne, a British Labour Party MP and chair of the House of Commons Business and Trade Select Committee, to talk about the rise of right-wing populism across Europe and why mainstream politics is struggling to respond. Drawing on his new book, Why Populists are Winning and How to Beat Them, Byrne argues that widening wealth gap, declining local communities and broken promise of democracy have created fertile ground for populist movements.

Together, Mark and Liam explore the different groups of voters supporting populist parties, the powerful networks funding and amplifying populist movements, and why mainstream parties may be making a strategic political mistake by chasing harder-line rhetoric.

The conversation ultimately tackles why more voters are turning away from mainstream parties, the roles economic stagnation, cultural pessimism and immigration play in driving support for populists, and how wealthy donors, media ecosystems and digital platforms have reshaped populist discourse across Europe and beyond.

Bookshelf

Billionaire Backlash: The Age of Corporate Scandal and How it Could Save Democracy - Pepper Culpepper and Taeku Lee 

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