Populism and emotional campaigning

The strategic use of emotions in the 2021 Czech general election campaign

Bibliographic Data

ID21728367
AuthorsSára Cigánková (Masaryk University), Vlastimil Havlík (0000-0003-3650-5783, Masaryk University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Pages1-24
Publication date2026-06-24
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Contemporary European Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1478-2790 • E-ISSN: 1478-2804
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14782804.2026.2694033
OpenAlexW7165766240
LanguageEN
References cited61

This study examines the role of emotions in online political communication during the 2021 Czech general election campaign. We focus on differences between populist and non-populist parties and their different roles – as government or opposition actors. Using quantitative content analysis, we analysed 2,644 Facebook posts published by parliamentary political parties and their leaders one month before the election, focusing on the strategic use of different emotions and blame attribution in their communication. While existing research characterizes populist communication as highly emotional, our findings partly challenge this assumption. The results suggest that populist parties in government tend to moderate their rhetoric, particularly their use of negative emotions, such as fear and anger. The findings also indicate that opposition parties were more likely to use negative emotional appeal and blame attribution, whereas government actors relied more on enthusiasm and positive rhetoric. Our study contributes to the discussion on the strategic adaptation of populist parties’ communication when they assume a governmental position

Austerity · Czech · General election · Politics · Populism · History of Emotions Research · Humor Studies and Applications · Populism, Right-Wing Movements

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