E-Managing the Pre-election Messages During the 2021 Parliamentary Campaigns in Bulgaria

Abstract

The pre-election campaign for the early parliamentary vote in Bulgaria on July 11, 2021 was held in the conditions of an uncertain COVID-19 situation, political confrontation and the games of the European Football Championship. Following the trend of the previous regular elections of April 4 after which no government was appointed, Internet platforms and especially social networks have become increasingly popular channels for politicians to communicate with voters. The aim of the study focuses on the dynamics of pre-election online communication. The object is the specifics of the Internet connection between the audiences and the candidates for members of Parliament during the election campaign in July compared to the previous one in April. The subject refers to the digital election messages of the leaders of the political forces, presented in their Facebook profiles. The methodology is an empirical study and comparative analysis. The scope includes those political forces that have passed the 4% electoral threshold. The results are indicative for those interested in digital political communication during social isolation of pandemic.