Digital Populism and Political Polarization in Portugal: A Social Network Analysis of the 2022 Legislative Election
Digital Populism and Political Polarization in Portugal: A Social Network Analysis of the 2022 Legislative Election
Thursday, 10 July 2025: 01:15
Location: ASJE028 (Annex of the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences)
Oral Presentation
This study employs big data and Social Network Analysis (SNA) to examine the digital
public sphere during Portugal's 2022 and 2024 legislative elections, focusing on the
rise of populist discourse and political polarization. Despite Portugal's historical
resistance to populism, the emergence of the far-right party Chega has altered the
political landscape. Therefore, the research is guided by the following questions: Are
Portuguese parties and leaders using populism for online political communication? Has
the emergence of an outsider party shifted the content of online campaigns and the
flow of political communication online? Using data from Twitter, we analyze the
communication strategies of parties and leaders during the two electoral campaigns.
Our research applies SNA techniques to map the networks of political communication,
identifying key influencers and the flow of information across different ideological
communities. We pay particular attention to the rhetoric employed by Chega and its
leader, André Ventura, examining how populist messages are crafted and
disseminated in the digital space.
The study also investigates political polarization in the Portuguese context, examining
how emotional appeals and misinformation contribute to this phenomenon. By
examining the interactions between users, political figures, and media outlets, we aim
to understand the dynamics of echo chambers and their impact on public opinion
formation.
Our findings contribute to the growing body of literature on digital populism in Southern
Europe, offering insights into Portugal's unique position within this regional context.
The results shed light on the evolving nature of political communication in Portugal and
provide valuable insights for policymakers and civil society actors working to maintain
democratic resilience in the face of growing polarization and populist challenges.
public sphere during Portugal's 2022 and 2024 legislative elections, focusing on the
rise of populist discourse and political polarization. Despite Portugal's historical
resistance to populism, the emergence of the far-right party Chega has altered the
political landscape. Therefore, the research is guided by the following questions: Are
Portuguese parties and leaders using populism for online political communication? Has
the emergence of an outsider party shifted the content of online campaigns and the
flow of political communication online? Using data from Twitter, we analyze the
communication strategies of parties and leaders during the two electoral campaigns.
Our research applies SNA techniques to map the networks of political communication,
identifying key influencers and the flow of information across different ideological
communities. We pay particular attention to the rhetoric employed by Chega and its
leader, André Ventura, examining how populist messages are crafted and
disseminated in the digital space.
The study also investigates political polarization in the Portuguese context, examining
how emotional appeals and misinformation contribute to this phenomenon. By
examining the interactions between users, political figures, and media outlets, we aim
to understand the dynamics of echo chambers and their impact on public opinion
formation.
Our findings contribute to the growing body of literature on digital populism in Southern
Europe, offering insights into Portugal's unique position within this regional context.
The results shed light on the evolving nature of political communication in Portugal and
provide valuable insights for policymakers and civil society actors working to maintain
democratic resilience in the face of growing polarization and populist challenges.