From controversial statements to policy decisions, these political figures have made their stance against progressive ideologies clear. Join us as we explore the most prominent leaders who've taken strong positions against what they call "woke culture" in modern politics and society.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Opponents fear his intolerance of activists, minorities, and ambivalence to the environment.
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the public figures who are most openly opposed to wokeness,
00:14be it in their actions, words, or both.
00:17You believe in the politics of identity, don't you?
00:21Who doesn't?
00:23Number 10, Nigel Farage, UK.
00:27People realise their jobs, their movie standards, it may be, this is not the way, we're on a lifeboat, we've left the Titanic, we're in a lifeboat.
00:37Few politicians have railed against wokeness as loudly as Nigel Farage.
00:42The former UKIP and Brexit party leader built much of his brand on opposing progressive social movements,
00:48particularly regarding immigration, multiculturalism, and gender identity.
00:53Farage has condemned the use of gender-neutral language, corporate diversity initiatives,
00:57and what he's characterised as, quote, cancel culture.
01:01If you disagree with the globalist project of ever closer political union, you're mad, bad, and dangerous.
01:07So I've seen this on a personal level against myself.
01:10He has also dismissed climate activism, branding groups like Extinction Rebellion as extremists.
01:16In 2023, he accused Banks of debanking him over his political views.
01:21Whether you agree with his stance or not, Farage is undeniably one of the most outspoken critics of woke ideology.
01:34Number 9, Pierre Polyev, Canada.
01:37When will we put an end to this wacko policy by this wacko prime minister?
01:43The leader of Canada's Conservative Party, Polyev has argued that diversity, equity, and inclusion
01:48initiatives promote division rather than unity and serve as a form of ideological control.
01:54He's also framed himself as a defender of free speech against political correctness, expressed
01:59opposition for puberty blockers for minors, and pledged to defund the CBC, accusing it of pushing woke narratives.
02:07Everybody, give this young guy a round of applause.
02:12While some view Polyev as a traditional conservative, his detractors have called him a populist,
02:17with a few even drawing controversial comparisons to fascism.
02:21In any case, his anti-woke stance couldn't be clearer.
02:24I have the freedom to ask questions if I want to, and I've just answered.
02:27I've been answering your questions all week.
02:28All right, and here's another one.
02:29The government's introducing the US carbon tax credit.
02:31No, you're not changing the subject. I know you want to change the subject.
02:33No, I want to ask a question.
02:34Because you don't want to talk about Trudeau's carbon tax.
02:36Number eight, Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil.
02:39Political favors, forced trading, that needs to be left in the past.
02:44We want the whole nation to benefit.
02:46Everything that we do, henceforth, has an undeniable purpose.
02:49That is, to put first and foremost the interests of Brazilians.
02:53When you're the president of Brazil, home to the world's largest tropical rainforest,
02:58you'd think environmental concerns would be a priority.
03:01Unless you're Jair Bolsonaro.
03:04During his time in office, Bolsonaro rolled back environmental protections, favoring economic
03:09development and dismissed left-leaning policies as, quote, cultural Marxism.
03:13In 2018, Bolsonaro won the presidential elections by vowing to crack down on crime.
03:20Since taking office, he's made it easier to own guns.
03:23He's given police a green light to respond more violently to suspects.
03:27He also took a hard stance against gender ideology and LGBTQ plus rights.
03:32But perhaps his most infamous moment occurred before his presidency,
03:36during an inflammatory exchange with federal deputy Maria do Rosario in 2003,
03:41wherein he made comments that people found misogynistic and offensive.
03:46Bolsonaro's rhetoric and policies have earned him ample disapproval from progressives,
03:50with many calling him the Trump of the tropics.
03:54The campaigners claim much of the criminality in the Amazon is fueled by Bolsonaro's government.
04:00Number seven, Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland.
04:04As Poland's prime minister from 2017 to 2023, Morawiecki was a staunch supporter of traditional
04:11Christian values and preserving Poland's national identity. This often put him at odds with those
04:16advocating for more progressive social policies. Leading the right-wing Law and Justice Party,
04:22Morawiecki backs restrictions on LGBTQ plus protections, opposed same-sex marriage and adoption,
04:29and defended controversial LGBT-free zones.
04:32We've been through so much as a country, but now we proudly celebrate our real independence,
04:39no longer invaded, no longer occupied, but moving forward in the world
04:45and moving forward with the world.
04:47Established by local governments.
04:49Under his leadership, Poland was frequently regarded as one of the least LGBTQ plus friendly
04:54countries in the EU. On top of that, Morawiecki regularly clashed with the EU over rule of law
05:00disputes and progressive policies.
05:02Number six, Boris Johnson, UK.
05:05It's my view that after 30 years of writing about this, we have a chance actually to do something.
05:13The UK's Prime Minister from 2019 to 2022 didn't shy away from calling out what he saw as woke
05:20overreach. He was a vocal critic of efforts to remove statues of controversial historical figures,
05:25arguing that it was an attempt to erase history. Johnson also drew headlines when he called King
05:30Charles, too woke, for voicing concerns about the country's controversial Rwanda asylum plan.
05:35That word I think is, uh, carminative.
05:37What?
05:38Carminative.
05:39What did you all define for us as?
05:42Carminative is a, is a, is a, is a mystic spell or incantation used to calm flatulence.
05:49Despite these moves, many conservatives felt he didn't push back enough against progressive policies.
05:55For all his talk about resisting wokeness, some conservatives have actually argued
05:59that Johnson allowed the culture to thrive under his leadership, leading to accusations of inconsistency.
06:05Do you think, as some senior politicians in Britain seem to, that President Biden is woke?
06:13I, I can't comment on that.
06:15Number five, Marine Le Pen, France.
06:18I will bring back France's sovereignty in all areas, which means the freedom for the French people to
06:23decide for themselves and defend their interests.
06:26Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, and daughter of the party's founder,
06:31Jean-Marie Le Pen, is a key figure in the fight against what's been called lewokisme.
06:36While she's distanced herself from her father's more extreme views and aims to present a more
06:40moderate image to expand the party's base, Marine still holds many of Dad's nationalist beliefs.
06:46When there are 500,000 people that are coming into our country per year,
06:50and only 10% have got a work contract, how do we expect our social security system to take on this
06:55considerable weight of people who, for 90% of them, will not participate to the creation of wealth?
07:01Her focus on traditional values and nationalism, take for example her views on France's immigration
07:06laws, has earned her both support and opposition, making her a prominent foe of what she sees as
07:12excessive progressiveness in her country.
07:14The equivalent of what we are in the United States is between the centre-right and the centre-left,
07:22with regards to ideas. So I think this...
07:25You're kidding me, right?
07:26Number four, Viktor Orban, Hungary.
07:29Obviously the international left will do everything what they can do, probably even more,
07:35to change the government here in Hungary. We are aware of that, and we are prepared for that,
07:39how to take the fight and fight back. It doesn't get much more anti-woke than blatantly stating you
07:44don't want your country to be diverse. But in 2018, that's exactly what Hungary's Prime Minister did,
07:50and that's just the tip of the iceberg. As head of the right-wing Fidesz party,
07:54Orban campaigned to, quote, re-Christianize his country, which to him involved ending the legal
08:00recognition of transgender people, banning the discussion of LGBTQ plus topics in schools,
08:05and cracking down on academic institutions that promote liberal values.
08:21He also implemented strict immigration policies, arguing that multiculturalism threatens Hungary's
08:27identity. His government even pushed a law that effectively forced one of Europe's top universities,
08:32CEU to relocate. Victor, we know you're proud of your heritage, but this may be a little too much.
08:39The CEU, which stands for open minds and open frontiers, clashes with his politics of exclusion,
08:45and eliminating institutions like this could eliminate voices that would be critical of him
08:50in the future and his nationalist policies.
08:52Number three, Geert Wilders, The Netherlands.
08:55Despite all the rhetoric of the elite, Mr. Trump won the election. I hope I can repeat the same thing,
09:02because once again, the people want to be in charge again.
09:05Wilders has spent decades fighting what he sees as the dangers of multiculturalism and political
09:11correctness. As the leader and, ahem, only member of the far-right Party for Freedom, PVV,
09:18in the Netherlands, Wilders has built his career on anti-immigration, anti-Islam platform,
09:24calling for policies that critics argue promote division rather than integration.
09:28And when it comes to Islam, we have nothing against Muslims, where we believe that Islam…
09:32It sounds like you do if you say you don't want anybody from Islamic countries coming to your
09:38country. That sounds like you're against Muslims.
09:40He has pushed to ban the Koran, shut down mosques, and restrict asylum seekers,
09:45arguing that Dutch culture is under threat. Wilders has also railed against diversity initiatives
09:51and gender-inclusive policies, dismissing them as symptoms of woke ideology that undermines
09:56traditional values. He has had to stand trial for inciting hatred and discriminating against
10:01Muslims. Twice. The first time, in 2010, he was acquitted. But four years later,
10:08he led a chant at one of his rallies in The Hague demanding fewer Moroccans.
10:11Number two, Javier Millet, Argentina.
10:20Argentina's libertarian president threw out some pretty inflammatory statements at 2024's World
10:25Economic Forum, painting a crystal clear picture of his feelings about quote-unquote
10:30sick wokeism. Millet took aim at feminism, identity politics, social welfare, and climate policies,
10:37doubling down on his long-standing opposition to progressive ideals. Millet kind of came out of
10:43the blue. He had only been in politics for two years as a national congressman. Argentines took a
10:49bet on someone completely new. His remarks, especially those targeting the LGBTQ plus community,
10:56ignited massive protests across Argentina, with activists, trade unions, and political opponents
11:02pushing back. Demonstrators flooded the streets, defending diversity and denouncing his rhetoric.
11:07Love him or hate him, there's no denying that fighting wokeness is a core part of Malay's brand,
11:12whether as a bold truth-teller or a relentless provocateur.
11:15What we have achieved in our administration is so important that our brilliant security minister
11:23went to the IMF to explain how we managed to maintain social order even amidst such a huge adjustment.
11:30Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Scott Morrison, Australia. Big on the
11:37quiet Australian, but not so much the environment. The path we're on is a shared path with the
11:42developing economies of the world, but particularly in our region. And that's why we're so focused on
11:48the how. Because if you don't know how, you'll never know when. Andrzej Duda, Poland. Poland's not so
11:54progressive president. We're protecting the borders. We're doing this effectively and honestly.
11:59And in this regard, nobody can complain about us because they do not have a reason to.
12:05Ron DeSantis, USA. From banning books to battling Disney.
12:09Obviously, I laid it out for you in a way that is irrefutable. And so it's clearly not.
12:14Isn't there the nearest public suspect is 30 miles away?
12:16No, no, no. You're wrong. You're wrong. You're wrong. Yes, sir.
12:18Marco Rubio, USA. Secretary of State, soldier against wokeness.
12:23The president has made his argument as to why he thinks Canada would be better off joining the United
12:26States for economic purposes. Giorgia Maloney, Italy. Not too popular among the Italian left.
12:33Brexit teaches us that Europe is not working very well. And that if it doesn't respect the
12:42sovereignty of nations, nations will run away.
12:45Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
12:49about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
12:55If you're on your phone, make sure you go into settings and switch on your notifications.
12:59Number one, Donald Trump, USA. And our country will be woke no longer.
13:10Who could have seen this one coming? Throughout his political career and two successful elections,
13:15Trump has made fighting wokeness a key part of his brand, railing against progressive policies on race,
13:20gender and climate change. From banning diversity training in federal agencies to rolling back
13:25protections for transgender individuals, he positioned himself as the ultimate anti-woke figure.
13:30He blamed the accident without any evidence, as he acknowledged, on the diversity, equity and
13:39inclusion policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden. He's also gone after corporations embracing social
13:45activism, taking shots at brands like Disney for pushing woke agendas. Trump has even formed what
13:51could be called a bromance with fellow billionaire Elon Musk, who shares his disdain for wokeness and
13:57frames it as a threat to free speech. At this point, Trump might as well mean the opposite of woke.
14:09Who on this list do you think is the most anti-woke? Let's talk about it in the comments.
14:14Check out these other clips from WatchMojo, and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified
14:18about our latest videos.