I think you are right and unfortunately, during these crazy times, lack of the good leaders is common everywhere.
The saddest thing is that less developed countries suffer even more than the ones where economy before the crisis was in relatively good condition. Here, in Argentina, crisis pushed people to extreme. I have seen many times people looking for some food in the rubbish bins, I have seen streets full of permanently closed shops. That causes crime rate higher, that causes some populists which you mentioned more popular. People are looking for easy solutions voting for politicians who lie they have all the solutions and that makes crisis even deeper and deeper...

I really wish, I'd be wise enough to know what could be the solution or brave enough to not worry about the future each day.