Tools- of Changes

Prioritize the ‘Movable Middle’

With the rise of populist politics, whoever wins the moveable middle wins the wider fight for international solidarity and progress.

• In this Linked-In post, Justin Forsyth reflected on his three decades of activism as he traveled to UN meetings. He argued that over the past ten years NGOs and progressive organisations have generally been speaking to each other, leaving a vacuum that has been filled by populists.
• “As many have written the current progressive campaign playbook, largely focused on mobilising existing activists, isn’t working. I believe, as I have argued before, that engaging the movable middle is the secret weapon of driving political change. The only way to change current political context is to engage the mainstream again. We know this from history. When the mainstream shifts, we know politicians and business leaders notice and move. With the rise of populist politics, whoever wins the moveable middle wins the wider fight for international solidarity and progress - whether on issues like Ukraine, democratic norms, climate or development.”