DefinePK

Abstract

This paper examines the use of nationalism, religion, and anti-elite rhetoric by right-wing populist leaders Imran Khan in Pakistan and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran to achieve political power. Populist leaders tend to emerge when the masses are discontented with the political system. In Pakistan and Iran, Khan and Ahmadinejad relied on the symbols of religion and national pride to demonstrate themselves as the defenders of the common people, despite the fact that there are two systems of these countries, one of which is democratic and another theocratic. Paper applied qualitative comparative case study. Both leaders did manage to gain the support of masses through emotional and symbolic appeals. Enhance the democratic institutions, safeguard judicial independence, advance political education, and adopt reasonable economic reforms to narrow the dangers of populist leadership. The comparison should be expanded in future research in order to detect global patterns.