There is no English equivalent for the French political concept l’usure du pouvoir. English has tried with “voter fatigue,” “the wear and tear of office,” and “time for a change.” But none of these captures what the French phrase actually describes. It’s best defined as the gradual corruption of a leader’s judgment through prolonged exercise of power.
It is less a matter of erosion or exhaustion, than the moment when a leader stops asking why they sought power and starts taking it for granted. It’s a time when arrogance hardens and reality disappears from the room. It’s when the person wielding authority becomes convinced that the authority itself is justified by the simple fact of holding it. Gradually, decisions that would have been unthinkable at the start become possible, even if unacceptable.
Seriously? @fancypants_s https://t.co/1L0wBUsfEH
— Patti Jo (@TheSupeHero) April 20, 2026
h/t Patti Jo
