| Summary: | Rodrigo Duterte came to power in the Philippines through the 2016 presidential election, soon starting his notorious war on drugs. Duterte is a populist that became known as tough talker without political, verbal or personal limitation. The paper explores Rodrigo Duterte though a case study that aims to answer certain questions relating to populism by using theories defined by Cas Mudde. This paper shows Duterte as a populist strongman that operates as an insider-outsider, not a part of the classical elite but with a clear connection to them. It also shows that he is acting mostly on behalf of the middle- and upper classes and that his rise came as a consequence of bad governance and lack of services after a period of economic growth. Through offensive comments and a hardline rhetoric, his politics have taken a heavy toll on the relationship with the historically closest ally of the Philippines, the United States. It shows Dutertes complicated relationship to the people, the elite and the will of the people.
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