Better Politics Podcast

• The New Extremism: Misogyny, Violence & Democracy on the Brink

  We speak with global extremism expert and author Cynthia Miller-Idriss about the rising tide of political violence, the gendered roots of radicalisation, and why misogyny has become one of the most powerful accelerants of extremism. Drawing on her career studying far-right movements, online recruitment and youth vulnerability, Cynthia unpacks how algorithms shape belief, how violence is becoming culturally normalised, why young men feel unseen, and what this means for democracy. Together they explore how threats, harassment and attacks are driving good people — especially women — out of politics, amplifying the urgency of safeguarding leaders’ mental wellbeing. The Better Politics Foundation published a groundbreaking study on the mental health of politicians and its implications for reform. This podcast offers hopeful pathways — from community-based prevention tools to cultural and policy shifts that can disrupt extremism and renew leadership — making this one of our most timely conversations yet.Follow us on LinkedIn (Better Politics Foundation), Instagram (@betterpoliticsfoundation) and our site. Sign up to our weekly briefing for inspiration to help you build better politics.

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• Becoming Better Humans in the Age of AI

  In this episode of Better Politics, we sit down with Shoukei Matsumoto — a Pure Land Buddhist monk, philosopher, entrepreneur, and author of A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind — for a rare conversation recorded live in Berlin. From Doraemon to DeepSea prompts, to Buddhist interbeing to AI as a mirror for our humanness, Shoukei guides us through what it means to lead, live, and make sense of a world where biological and non-biological intelligence now coexist. This is a conversation about humility, ego, ancestors, trust, and the future of human leadership in the age of AI — and why becoming “more human” might be the real path forward.Enjoy the episode!Follow us on LinkedIn (Better Politics Foundation), Instagram (@betterpoliticsfoundation) and our site. Sign up to our weekly briefing for inspiration to help you build better politics.

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• Building movements for People's Power

  This week's episode airs during the first-ever Berlin Freedom Week, an idea that our guest, Leopoldo López, was instrumental in developing with the city of Berlin.As the General Secretary of the World Liberty Congress, Leopoldo López believes people's power is a non-negotiable precondition for consolidating the global movement for democratic renewal. He also shares his insights on what better political leadership entails, and why we must harness the momentum of change to usher in the type of political leadership citizens deserve.Enjoy the episode!Follow us on LinkedIn (Better Politics Foundation), Instagram (@betterpoliticsfoundation) and our site. Sign up to our weekly briefing for inspiration to help you build better politics.

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• What democracy's "Golden Age" can teach today's political parties about innovation & adapting to change

  The first episode of the new season of The Better Politics Podcast was recorded on the sidelines of the 2025 Athens Democracy Forum convened by the Democracy and Culture Foundation.The Better Politics Podcast is a platform for hearing and learning from leaders themselves. Too often, we throw arrows at politicians without engaging them on reshaping the system so they can govern more effectively.This week we talk democratic innovation, political party reform and embracing the tide of change with Paul Magnette, the President of the Belgian Socialist Party.This year, Paul Magnette was inducted into the "Democratic Innovators of the 21st Century" Politicians' Hall of Fame.The award, given by the Better Politics Foundation in partnership with the Democacy and Culture Foundation, celebrates outstanding men and women who have devoted their lives to advancing democracy globally.Enjoy the episode!Follow us on LinkedIn (Better Politics Foundation), Instagram (@betterpoliticsfoundation) and our site. Sign up to our weekly briefing for inspiration to help you build better politics.

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• Trailer - Better Politics Podcast

  Welcome to Better Politics — the podcast for anyone who refuses to accept politics as it is.Politics today feels broken. Trust is collapsing. The gap between people and power is widening. We’re tackling 21st-century crises with 18th-century politics, 19th-century institutions, and 20th-century tech. No wonder people are losing faith.Better Politics is here to change that. Non-partisan by design, global in reach.We bring you voices from around the world — leaders, reformers, thinkers, and everyday people. And yes, we ask the political leaders themselves how to make politics better. Too often we throw arrows at them without engaging them in reshaping the system so they can serve more effectively.Because politics should do more than cling to the past. It should spark hope, earn trust, and deliver for people and planet.This is Better Politics.Follow us on LinkedIn (Better Politics Foundation), Instagram (@betterpoliticsfoundation) and our site. Sign up to our weekly briefing for inspiration to help you build better politics.

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