How do populist discourses influence policy termination?

Policy termination is an underexplored area in policy studies, gaining attention during the 1980s with the rise of new public management and austerity measures. Assumptions of rational, evidence-based evaluations quickly gave way to the conclusion that political ideology and partisanship are the central drivers of termination in policy research, but with little insight into how and why. The recent upsurge in populist discourse has renewed interest in policy termination, particularly as populist agendas frequently include rhetoric about dismantling government programmes. This article examines how ideas, in the form of populist discourses, influence policy termination. Using the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party’s (OPCP) 2018 election as a case study, it focuses on the termination of Ontario’s carbon cap-and-trade policy and the repeal of its sexual health education curriculum. It highlights the role of political ideas and discourse in reframing issues and providing compelling narratives to build broad supporting coalitions and lower barriers to termination. The findings suggest that while populist leaders can mobilize support for termination, the success of such efforts depends on the alignment of political ideas with the lived realities and values of the people. This article contributes to the literature by elucidating the mechanisms through which ideas influence policy termination, offering insights into the dynamics of policy change in the context of contemporary populism.