The Age of Emotional Politics
How unhappiness — and a bit of mistrust— is fueling the .rise of populism
by Hasan Teoman Bingöl
Populism isn’t creeping up on politics anymore. It’s taken the wheel.
From Argentina to Italy, from Florida to Finland, anti-establishment voices aren’t just being heard — they’re winning.
But what’s really behind this global shift?
The usual suspects — inflation, immigration, economic strain — don’t tell the whole story.
According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, the deeper fault line might be emotional.
When Emotions Vote
The report offers a simple but striking formula:
Low life satisfaction + low trust = far-right populism
Low life satisfaction + high trust = progressive populism
Same dissatisfaction. Two radically different outcomes.
The difference? Trust.
Or more precisely — social trust, the belief that most people can be relied on.
Unhappiness may power the engine of populism. But trust is the steering wheel.
The Global Trust Deficit
Here’s the problem: trust is crashing.
In the U.S., social trust has fallen from 50% in the 1970s to under 30% today.
Across parts of Europe, the picture’s not much brighter. Polarization, institutional decay, and political cynicism are taking a toll.
And when trust breaks down, populist narratives step in.
Because when people feel like no one’s got their back — not neighbors, not leaders, not systems — they’re more willing to believe in strongmen, scapegoats, and simple fixes.
This is how unhappiness turns into action. And how that action turns different depending on who you still believe in.
Finland Isn’t Florida
In high-trust societies like Denmark or Finland, discontent often leads to calls for equity, redistribution, and civic care.
In low-trust societies like Hungary or parts of the U.S., the same emotional fatigue manifests as anger, nationalism, and withdrawal.
The conclusion is uncomfortable: political polarization may be emotional before it’s ideological.
Who’s Feeling It Most?
The report also flips a common assumption:
Young people and women — once reporting higher life satisfaction — are now among the most disillusioned.
Job insecurity, digital isolation, and unequal systems are reshaping their emotional landscape.
They are no longer just frustrated — they are pivotal.
But whether this dissatisfaction turns into progressive momentum or political disengagement again comes down to trust.
Can We Fix It?
Belief in one another. Belief in institutions. Belief that systems can work for people, not just despite them.
If leaders want to navigate this era, the question isn’t:
“How do we restore growth?”
It’s: “How do we rebuild trust?”
Because in the end, the politics of the future may not be left or right.
They may be built on something far more fragile — and far more powerful: how we feel about each other.
