Populist right-wing politics is moving centre-stage, with some parties reaching the very top of the electoral ladder: but do we know why, and why now? In this lecture, Professor Ruth Wodak addresses why these parties have moved from the margins of the political landscape to enter the mainstream, and how they are transforming from fringe voices to persuasive political actors. For more information on past and upcoming Lancaster University Public Lectures, please go to http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/events/public-lectures/