Hello, I'm Ben Ansel and I'm here to tell you about What's Wrong with Democracy,

my new podcast series for Tortoise Media in partnership with the Open Society Foundations.

Every week on What's Wrong with Democracy, I'm joined by insiders from the world of politics

as we explore the issues affecting democracies, both near and far,

and ask whether our fractured body politic can be put back together.

So far, in the series, we've looked at disinformation, populism, apathy, authoritarianism,

and the role of institutions in democracies from Rwanda to Sweden.

And in our upcoming episodes, we'll be taking a closer look at political corruption,

how to future

proof our democracies from shocks, and of course, all things, US election, as Donald Trump

and Kamala Harris prepare to battle it out at the ballot box. Here's a taster of me in conversation

with author and academic Noreena Hertz, who I spoke to about the rise of populism.

I think the physical communal acts that populists are delivering

are playing a part in their attraction.

They are just delivering a better theatre of community.

It's also the rhetoric.

I mean, if you start looking at thematic words and phrases, whether you're looking at

Rassembleman Nacional or Alternative for Deutschland or Trump, what we're seeing in each case is

actually a very similar language where they're reinforcing words, family, brothers.

And also, of course, you'll hear them all use words like you, the forgotten people.

I see you.

Make America great again.

...