Will’s Word: Is conservative politics on the decline?

Are we seeing the slow decline of conservative politics around the world? In Canada, just months ago, it looked like the conservatives might sweep in with a Trump-style playbook.

All the populist bluster that you'd expect - anti-establishment energy - but in a surprise, the centre-left Liberal Party held on. It wasn't a landslide, I'll concede, but it was enough to keep the far-right at bay for now.

Then there's Australia. The latest polls show Labor slightly ahead going into the election, despite months of pressure from the opposition. As for Peter Dutton, who is the leader of the Liberal Party and the opposition leader, his personal approval rating? It’s not exactly soaring.

It's a tight race but voters seem cautious about swinging back to the right. Then you've got to ask the broader question: is this because of Donald Trump being back in the White House?

Instead of it being a triumphant return, some would argue, his approval ratings are already shaky. Young voters are especially voicing frustration, the economy is weakening, and the excitement feels like it isn't there the way it was in 2016.

So it begs the question: what's going on across the globe at the moment? I wouldn't say conservative politics is dead, but perhaps it's losing the effortless momentum it had last year.

Voters, especially younger ones, are asking harder questions about climate and inequality. The pendulum might not have swung all the way, but perhaps it is shifting.

And it's worth watching where it lands next.

That's Will’s Word.

Listen to Will’s Word on Facebook below: