Researchers have discovered why populists are becoming more popular
Coming to power changes not only political priorities, but also language.
This is the conclusion of Frederik Jort, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen. His research, published in Comparative Political Studies, shows that once politicians become ministers, their speech becomes less understandable to voters - and this can cost them too much.
An analysis of nearly 1.5 million parliamentary speeches over the past 30 years reveals a consistent trend: government members speak with markedly more complexity than their opposition counterparts. And as soon as they leave the cabinet, their language simplifies again. This, according to the author of the study, indicates that the reason is not personal style or rhetorical preferences, but the peculiarities of working in the executive branch.
"We see that being in government, politicians use more complex language not because they want to, but because they have to," explains Yort.
He identifies three key factors influencing this:
Bureaucratic terminology. Ministers have to refer to laws and technical details, which requires precision and a formal vocabulary.
Formal roles. For example, the need to introduce bills, often written in a clerical or legal style.
Speech topics. In government, politicians talk more about complex areas - regulation, crisis management, budgets. The opposition, on the other hand, is dominated by simpler and emotionally charged topics like taxes or migration.
The second part of the study included an experiment involving more than 4,000 people. Participants were shown texts that differed only in the degree of complexity of the language. And it turned out that politicians who spoke simply received much more positive evaluations, regardless of the content.
"This confirms it: there is a political price to pay for complex language. Voters really do prefer simplicity," Jort emphasises.
According to the researcher, the results also explain the success of populist parties. Such movements tend to rely on simple and sharp language, which resonates with their audiences. Unlike ruling politicians, populists speak directly, avoiding complex constructions and terms.
"Populists often reproach elites for being disconnected from the people. Our research shows that there is some truth to this: more technocratic language is indeed becoming part of the 'cost' of staying in power," says Yort.
From the researcher's point of view, the deteriorating quality of political communication in power is another reason why ruling parties are losing support. When politicians are no longer understandable, they lose credibility - and this opens the way for new, more "understandable" players.
"Power demands precision, but deprives simplicity. And that gives the opposition a serious advantage," summarises Hjorth.
Source: Frederik Hjorth, Losing Touch: The Rhetorical Cost of Governing, Comparative Political Studies (2025). DOI: 10.1177/00104140251349646.