The growing popularity of «populist» leaders in the Western world reflects a long-standing but ever-present divide between the elites and the people. This raises profound questions about what democracy should be. Gérard Araud, Chantal Delsol and David Goodhart help us do just that.
In France, the theme of political leaders« disconnection from the daily lives of their fellow citizens is a recurring theme in public debate. A fringe group of citizens accuse the »elites« trained in prestigious schools of »entre-soi", or even collusion. They reproach them for their "overhang" in relation to the working classes. This distrust can manifest itself in hostility towards the institutions of the Republic, as shown by the petitions to close the Ecoles Nationale d'Administration (ENA) and the Ecoles de la Magistrature (ENM). But it can also take a more personal turn. This was the case during the
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