Populist Leaders are being purged. Why?

Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan has been ousted from office in a vote of no confidence. Several political allies and a key partner in his ruling coalition bowed out at the last minute; and made the crucial decision to jump ship.

Politicians being what they are look to save their own hides; so the no-confidence ruling should not come as a surprise.

But those who know Pakistan understand that it is the military that really runs the country. They are corrupt with key figures in bed with US intelligence and that should tell you all you need to know.

To give you some idea; just ahead of the no confidence vote Pakistan’s powerful army chief General Qamar Jived Bajwa met Khan to resolve the impasse. Wonder what was said. Did he try and persuade Khan to resign before the vote?

Khan was a populist leader but it did not matter he was cut down in spite of it. Probably because of it, that seems to be the way it works. If you do not believe that he was an anti-American imperialist in a lot of ways, and that had nothing to do with it; I have a bridge to sell you.

Khan appeared to favor Russia and China over the US ever since the Ukraine debacle. He met with Putin on a few occasions.

Imran Khan was one of the good guys; one political commentator was to have said.

Here is a strange thing. Khan is one of the latest populist leaders to be either ousted or forced to resign over the past year.

We are sold the lie that elected reps are supposed to stand for We the People. When in reality they represent the people who stand behind the elected people; and their interests and goals.

Populist leaders are seen as a threat because they think this gives them a mandate to rule. Silly them! It is not that simple though. Thus they don’t take directives, how shall I say, from higher up very well? They are expected to toe the line and know their place. And when they don’t……..well you know the answer.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz resigned suddenly last year after he was brought up on a corruption charge. It was alleged that he tried to buy political influence. A populist figure there was talk of him being connected to Russian oligarchs slash mobsters linked to Putin for some time prior to this. Yes the usual spiel. You could see it coming.

He was an enthusiast for the Nord stream 2 pipline connecting Russia and Germany through the Baltic Sea. Him and Putin did appear to have had a good working relationship, I’ll say this much. At age 35 he was the world’s youngest leader.

It seems populism is not so popular from an elite standpoint at any rate.

Some pundits lay the decline in support for populism on the Covid pandemic. In reality you’d think it would be the other way round. Crises used to be the motivator for the rise of such leaders.

Now they reasons for the few to grab more control.