Populism: giving the people a voice?

This debate is part of Battle of Ideas Helsinki 2026.

Populism is often blamed for everything that is wrong with politics and society: weakening democracy and the rule of law, eroding trust in the media and science, threatening minority rights, damaging the economy, obstructing climate action, dividing Europe and degrading public debate. The word is also often used as a weapon to dismiss movements and demands that challenge accepted views or unsettle those in power.

Yet populist politics often draws strength from a basic democratic demand: the demand of citizens to have a voice, to be heard and to be taken seriously. It can also bring neglected issues into public debate, particularly when those in power do not want to address them or regard them as too awkward or uncomfortable to discuss, whether preserving cultural traditions and family life or defending the importance of secure national borders.

Is populism democracy’s enemy, or does it express something central to the democratic spirit? Does it give citizens a voice, or merely claim to speak for ‘the people’? And does it truly expose issues that established politics would rather ignore, or offer simple answers to complex problems?