People who’ve long been disenchanted by politics are rallying around a new style of political leader who engages on supposedly unelectable issues such as austerity, socialism and foreign policy.
However on Saturday, the leftwing MP, Jeremy Corbyn was elected Labour party leader in the UK with a huge majority. In the US, the self-declared socialist Democrat, Bernie Sanders has taken the lead from former secretary of state Hillary Clinton for the first time in a poll in the crucial early voting state of Iowa.
A new anti-austerity, anti-corruption party Podemos, has become a political force in Spain, and the even newer Ciudadanos (Citizens) party, is also gaining momentum there. Though Alex Tsipras has stepped down as leader in Greece, his leftwing, anti-austerity Syriza party looks likely to be returned to power in snap elections later this month.
There’s a sense from senior politicians of all main UK political parties – and much of the media – that a leader like Corbyn can’t be taken seriously as he would never be able to handle government effectively. There’s a belief too that no sensible voter should give him power. But should Corbyn or Sanders be dismissed so quickly? In the digital age, people aren’t ruled by what’s delivered to them by mainstream media; they decide on who and what they like on social sites – and then they share it – and it seems act on it.
We’d like to hear your views. Do you believe that there’s a new global grassroots political movement? And could it effect real change? Is the world now ready for a new style of authentic leadership that seems to represent truly democratic, bottom-up politics? Perhaps you agree with some of the policies, but running government is a different matter altogether.
You can share your views with us by clicking on the blue “Contribute” buttons on this article. You can also use the Guardian app and search for “GuardianWitness assignments”.
We’ll feature the most interesting contributions in our reporting.
