Our political parties are weak in terms of their political ideology and education, and stuck in a leadership vacuum that is allowing a damaging narrative to persist: that voters exist to keep them in power.

Listen to this article 4 min Listen to this article 4 min One of the things I soon came to realise as a young adult is that leadership is something that many shy away from because it is a lifelong commitment to being steadfast in one's values and resolve.

A good leader might not be referred to as someone who is nice or easy to get along with, but is respected for staying true to their principles and not populist ideals.

This rings true even for leaders who seek to be conciliators in tumultuous times. A certain steely resolve is necessary to navigate people through difficult times so that division does not take hold.

This is not to say, however, that leaders are without their blind spots, and so, it is important that they assemble around them a team of like-minded but independent-thinking people who have the skills and acumen to complement their leadership.

This team has to remain steadfast and commit not to the leader, but to the principles that have been identified as aspirational. This becomes especially important in politics, where it impacts people's wellbeing and the trajectory of their lives. It also elevates the level of political...