Publication details

Populism Across Two Continents : Assessing the Use of Populist Communication Styles on Facebook Across Ten Countries

Authors

LARSSON Anders Olof ALONSO-MUNOZ Laura BENE Márton BOULIANNE Shelley FENOLL Vicente HAßLER Jörg LILLEKER Darren MACHADO Sara POSPÍŠIL MACKOVÁ Alena PENA-VICUNA Percy RODRÍGUEZ-SÁNCHEZ Adriana

Year of publication 2026
Type Chapter in a book
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Social Studies

Citation
Description This chapter examines the use of populist communication styles on Facebook by political actors across 10 countries in Europe and South America. It explores the prevalence of people-centrism, anti-elitism, and exclusion of out-groups in political messaging during recent elections. Through a standardized content analysis, the study reveals that populist communication is not exclusive to actors traditionally labeled as populist. The findings suggest that non-populist actors also employ these styles, challenging conventional classifications of political actors. The chapter highlights significant cross-national variations, and discusses the implications of these findings for understanding populism as a communication style and calls for a reassessment of how political actors are labeled. By providing a comparative perspective, the chapter contributes to the broader discourse on populism and political communication, offering insights into the strategic use of populist rhetoric in diverse political contexts.
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