Hunting for support on social media
A parallel war between political leaders is under way on social media ahead of next month’s European Parliament elections. The race for views and likes is a fierce one, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis using TikTok to increase his influence with younger users.
For his part, the leader of leftist SYRIZA, Stefanos Kasselakis, stated early on that social media would be his primary means of communicating with citizens, while socialist PASOK’s Nikos Androulakis has also increased his presence.
The ongoing battle reflects the increasing and decisive role played by social media, with political organizations and party leaders communicating their messages to audiences who do not choose the traditional channels of information – television, newspapers, radio.
According to the most recent research, half of internet users use social media for information, while 12% rely on social networks as their primary source, rising to over 30% in the 18-24 age group, surpassing television.
TikTok has now become the new king of online communication, as it works mainly with videos. Despite the fact that Kasselakis is considered a master of the game, the PM has more followers, reaching 265,400, the largest of any Greek politician.
Mitsotakis has the most followers on X as well compared to other political leaders, with 425,400. It is, however, used sparingly by Maximos Mansion, mainly reposting statements rather than primary material.
Despite the decline it has experienced as it is the social network of the “old people,” Facebook still has great appeal among millennials and above, which are ages that are interested in politics and usually vote. Mitsotakis has 401,000 followers and it is the medium he uses more “politically” to showcase the government’s work.
The PM also has a huge following on Instagram (371,000) often uploading photos of a more relaxed nature, targeting a younger and more apolitical audience.
