This past decade has witnessed a rising tide of hard-right populism. But that tide is not inevitable.

To restore trust in politics, we need leaders that address people’s needs – both material and emotional.

In this report, we take six populist framings in turn and explore the psychological bias they tap into. Drawing from this insight, we offer recommendations for progressive leaders to connect with voters without repeating divisive rhetoric.

We show how progressives can:

Challenge populist anti-elitism — by listening, rather than lecturing (and by holding up the mirror to the populist elite).

Confront anti-immigration sentiment — by resisting crisis language and restoring a sense of agency and control.

Overcome exclusionary nationalism — with a positive patriotic story that offers pride and belonging.

Use nostalgia — not to long for the past, but to build a vision for the future that is grounded in history.

Speak simply and authentically — to relate to everyday people on everyday issues.

Lead with hope — because big problems demand bold solutions.

The goal is not to mimic populist leaders – we will not beat them by becoming them – but we can learn from the way they speak to emotion, to reconnect and re-inspire disenchanted voters.