Centre v Right populism: Same grievances, different answers

Community Strong Australia Professor Carl Rhodes writes that the founders appeared to combine populist criticism of the political order with a generally moderate and pragmatic view of policy, creating what we might call “centrist populism.”

Australia’s new political party, Community Strong Australia, has emerged with a distinctive political proposition. At a time when populist movements are reshaping democracies around the world, what makes the party unusual is its seemingly paradoxical attempt to combine populist appeal with political moderation.

Contemporary political debate is often framed as a contest between progressive liberalism and an increasingly assertive populist right. But Strong Community Australia can chart a different path.

What are the founders and members of the party? Zali Steggall And Allegra Spender It seems to create what we might call “centrist populism.” It combines a populist critique of the political establishment with a broadly moderate and pragmatic view of policy.

Can centrist populism succeed where liberal centrism falters, while avoiding the anger and exclusion that defines populism on the right?

The playbook of right-wing populists

When we think of populism we often think of right-wing versions of it; for example in Australia: Pauline Hanson and One Nation. Such movements combine hostility towards political and cultural elites with attacks on immigration, multiculturalism and so-called “woke” politics.

Right-wing populism does not emerge suddenly. It begins by identifying the real grievances felt by many citizens, particularly economic insecurity, falling standards of living, distrust of political institutions, and rapid social change. He then weaves these grievances into a combative political narrative that pits “ordinary people” against self-serving elites.

In this way, legitimate concerns about economic insecurity and political disconnection translate into a politics of resentment and cultural conflict, often distracting from the underlying economic pressures driving public discontent.

What Strong Community Australia is trying to do is a centrist version of populist politics, but with a crucial difference. It acknowledges many of the grievances that right-wing populists identify, amplify, and exploit, but attempts to respond to them without the exclusionary, resentful, and often racist policies that characterize much of contemporary right-wing populism.

Populism of the centre?

While right-wing populists tend to direct public anger at immigrants, minorities and cultural elites, Strong Society Australia appears to be trying something different by channeling dissatisfaction with the political order into the politics of reform, participation and representation.

Zali Steggall clearly within the populist framework.

Speaking on June 25, the day the party was founded, Australians stated the following:

“…sick and frustrated with the status quo. The major parties have contributed to our current situation, where many Australians feel they are unable to move forward. The system is not listening to their concerns.”

This is clearly populist language and pits ordinary citizens against an unresponsive political establishment.

However, Steggall describes the party as follows: “centrist”emphasizing:

“…sensible economic management, climate action, integrity [and] equality.”

The logic is clear: acknowledge the growing dissatisfaction among the Australian public, identify the major parties as part of the problem, but then propose a moderate and institutional response rather than one based on extremism or exclusion.

Populism without extremism

Allegra as Spender put it this week:

“…many people feel politically homeless.” Many suggested that it was “Extremely skeptical of major parties” And “I am deeply disappointed with them”, but also “I’m really concerned about extremism.”

This reflects the political space that the Strong Commonwealth of Australia is trying to occupy. What he offers is a populism without extremism and bigotry. It channels public frustration into the major parties, but without the resentment, scapegoating and culture wars that have become hallmarks of right-wing populism both in Australia and internationally.

Strong Society Australia’s centrist populism aims to represent citizens who feel neglected by the major parties but are reluctant to embrace political extremes. In doing so, it aims to channel dissatisfaction with traditional politics while maintaining a commitment to democratic institutions, social cohesion and economic responsibility.

Politically, the strategy is smart. While rejecting polarization and cultural conflict, he treads into a largely empty space in Australian politics by appealing to voters disillusioned with the political status quo.

Economic test

The open question is whether Strong Community Australia can deliver policies that address the economic conditions that lead to dissatisfaction with mainstream politics, particularly wealth inequality, housing unaffordability, wage stagnation and the rising cost of living. The party has already identified many of these economic pressures and is website argues that Australians ‘I work so hard and I can’t get ahead’.

It’s too early to know whether the party represents a truly new form of centrist populism that could lead to real change being felt at supermarket checkouts, or just a rebranding of liberal centrism. The most important test as the party develops its policy positions will be economic.

Strong Community If Australia can match community language and political renewal with credible policies on housing, taxation and living standards, it may succeed in building a broader constituency beyond the teal-aligned voters who are likely to be its first supporters.

The real test is whether centrist populism can go beyond diagnosing economic insecurity and address it. Otherwise, Strong Community Australia risks settling into a formula of being socially progressive and politically reformist, but economically conservative when it comes to the urgent need to challenge vested interests that maintain the status quo.

Carl Rhodes is Professor of Business and Society at the University of Technology Sydney. Wrote several books On the relationship between liberal democracy and contemporary capitalism. You can follow him on X/Twitter @ProfCarlRhodes.

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