After four years of narrowly avoiding prison, Donald Trump is back in the White House. For many observers outside the US, the re-election of a convicted felon who tried to illegally overturn an election is baffling.
But Trump’s second victory was no fluke – and nor was it merely the result of Russian interference or ‘deplorable’ voters. Although Trump left formal politics in 2021, the forces that brought him to power did not. This time, he is entering office far better organised, far stronger, and with a more diverse political base.
Trump is also not alone: across the West, right-wing populism is on the march, while progressive parties continue to find themselves on the back foot. In an increasingly unstable world, the rising tide of the authoritarian right poses huge challenges for the global economy. Left unchecked, it has the potential to imperil peace, prosperity and the planet.
