August 26, 2025Media and CommunicationOpen Access

Weaponizing Wedge Issues: Strategies of Populism and Illiberalism in European Election Campaigning on Facebook

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Content analysis of 8,748 Facebook posts reveals how wedge issues and populism shape political polarization in Europe.

Populist parties used wedge issues more frequently to engage voters, potentially increasing political polarization.
The analysis of 8,748 posts from 13 EU member states showed stronger use of illiberal rhetoric in populist communications.
Research highlights how wedge issues combined with populism can redefine democratic debate in the context of crises.
Understanding these strategies is critical to defend democracy amidst rising populist tactics on social media.

Haßler et al. (2025) studied this question.

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