Fight, Flight o Fright? Le reazioni del demos all’età dell’incertezza: due ipotesi di post-populismo.

On December 2, 2022, the Censis report “Post-Populist Italy” posited that compounded crises have catalyzed a shift in Italian society to pressing, realistic public demands. Amidst the prolonged pandemic, geopolitical strife, historic inflation, and energy reliance, a new “post-populism cycle” has emerged, wherein populist rhetoric is supplanted by an exigency for practical responses from a political class that is gradually embracing realism and expertise, signaling a potential transformation in governance approach. In response to the ongoing “permacrisis,” the Italian populace shows no signs of mass mobilization or protest, instead further withdrawing from political and public life, as evidenced by decreasing electoral participation. This behavior aligns with Cannon’s classical psychological response models: Freeze, Fight, or Flight when facing threats. Italian society appears to be frozen, unable to take decisive action or confront the challenges directly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]