Populism - a podcast by BBC Radio 4

Who are "the people" - and who's keeping power from them? Eliane Glaser explores how across Europe and beyond, populist movements are claiming they can to put back politicians in touch with voters and reinvigorate democracy from the grassroots. From UKIP's millions of voters to the passionately engaged Scottish referendum, from the rise of nationalist parties in northern Europe to burgeoning left-wing movements like Syriza and Podemos further south, traditional politicians are feeling the public's wrath. But how much of the crowd-pleasing rhetoric can be taken at face value - and do politicians really now think of themselves as ordinary people?

Contributors:
Professor PAUL TAGGART, University of Sussex
Professor VERNON BOGDANOR, King's College London
DOUGLAS CARSWELL, UKIP MP for Clacton
SIRIO CANOS, Podemos
PETER OBORNE, journalist and author
Professor CAS MUDDE, University of Georgia

Producer: Polly Hope.

(Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images. Picture shows a woman holding a placard at a demonstration on 5th July 2015)

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