What was the influence of Antonio Gramsci on the thought of political philosopher Ernesto Laclau? We seek to answer this question. In his first texts there are no direct references to the work of Gramsci; later on, the citations and analysis refer mainly to other interpreters’; in a third stage, the Italian author appears linked to the notions of hegemony, people and leadership. We posit that Laclau was not a pioneer nor a systematic reader of Gramsci, although he adopted and expanded on his ideas in philosophical-political reflections on socialism and populism.