The paper deals with a particular typology of populism, which develops in the “society of spectacle”, described
by Guy Debord nearly 50 years ago in his still relevant book. Populism means the claim of a broader
political space by people and is linked with a deep distrust in the political elite perceived as the origin of any
social hardship. The “Society of spectacle”, where the social life is subsumed by technology and images,
leads to a personalization of politics and the political leaders are replaced by their simulacra. When populism
involves a strong political leader, who is a simulacrum, new issues emerge. The paper analyzes and illuminates
these phenomena, showing the growing dangers they represent for democracy.
