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Reducing utility fees, increasing pensions, fighting corruption: why do we always believe the same populist promises? How does it affect our lives?

Populism is no longer a trick used by political outsiders, it’s a widespread global phenomenon. Populists are very skilled at capturing and expressing the sentiments and fears of the broader public from political platforms. And at this moment, populism resonates with human rights, because the interests of each individual citizen are ignored for the sake of the interests of the majority. But human rights are something over which the government should keep watch.

In Ukraine, the interests of the majority are presented as the interests of all those “who are ignored by the oligarchs.” Even if you yourself do not notice these empty promises in political statements, after another election, populism will still affect your life, too.

In this discussion, we will consider the following: How do we learn to recognize populism in the rhetoric of politicians and candidates for elected office? How can civil society influence the fulfillment of promises made in political platforms? How is our political awareness and critical thinking related to human rights?

Speakers:

• Oleksandra Matviychuk, human rights advocate, chairwoman of the board of the Center for Civil Liberties NGO
• Pavlo Klimkin, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in 2014–2019
• Halyna Tretiakova, People's Deputy of Ukraine

Moderator: Maksym Shcherbyna, journalist.