When the strongman is a woman: female leadership in right wing populism

Purpose The article wants to unpack a curious, but important, puzzle: if, as most analysts agree, the core unifying feature of right-wing populisms is the adoption of masculinist and anti-feminist performances, one would expect women to be sidelined and excluded from leadership positions. However, even in the current moment of anti-feminist backlash, there is a significant and growing number of women running for office and winning power as hardcore right-wing populists. How can this apparent par