The rise of far-right extremism has been a significant factor in the 2024 European elections in countries like Germany, France, and Italy, despite center parties securing the majority of seats in the European Parliament. Social media, particularly TikTok, has been highlighted as a key element in this outcome.
While there is no direct research proving the link between these platforms and the rise of extremist parties, certain facts have been widely cited in the European media to explain the influence of these tools. For instance, Jordan Bardella’s victory in France stands out. The 28-year-old TikTok star received double the votes of President Emmanuel Macron’s party. A Politico survey conducted in February and March analyzed the accounts of Members of the European Parliament and found that the Chinese platform had gained significant relevance in the bloc. Over 140 million people from the 27 EU countries use TikTok.
Politicians across the spectrum have migrated to the platform, with one-third of French, Italian, and German MEPs present on TikTok. However, the majority are extremists, with 46% of far-right and far-left politicians on the platform, compared to only 19% of center-right representatives, according to the Politico survey.
While far-right parties had accumulated 28 million likes and far-left parties 17 million by March, center-right parties only had 3 million. In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz joined TikTok in April, but the leader of the far-right AFD party, Alice Weidel, is more active and attracts more audience. While the chancellor has 282 thousand followers, Weidel has 295 thousand.
Some TikTok stars garner likes for their ability to spread their political message, while others simply share videos of pets and hobbies. Through carefully selected videos featuring alcohol and sharp criticisms in TV debates, Jordan Bardella has become the third most followed French political figure on TikTok, with 1.6 million users, trailing only Emmanuel Macron (4.5 million followers) and the leader of the left-wing party La France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon (2.4 million).
Most TikTok users are under 35 years old, which helps politicians reach the young electorate, typically less active in elections. The platform’s association with oversimplifying political issues, using sarcastic language, irony, and memes, particularly by the far-right, also contributes to creating stereotypical views of politics.
The “TikTokization” of campaigns also leads to the formation of even more closed ideological bubbles. With more efficient algorithms than other networks, a small interest quickly turns into a vicious circle. The Chinese platform captures attention and bombards users with content that convinces them that a particular viewpoint is the most reliable.
The use of TikTok in political campaigns represents a shift in digital communication strategies, evolving from the 2008 US elections with Barack Obama. The platform adds new elements like quick videos, consumed information type, and content distribution form.
TikTok allows politicians to showcase a more humane side that was previously absent in traditional media. This has a significant influence on party logic and the role of political parties, portraying them not only as representatives of an ideology but as multifaceted human beings in their family life and hobbies.
The European elections are just one example of this new dynamic. The intense use of TikTok in elections in countries like Indonesia, Argentina, Mexico, and South Africa suggests a global trend. In Brazil, with the increasing use of the platform, TikTok could play a significant role in the 2024 municipal elections, advancing political content distribution compared to 2022.
Based on the European elections, 15-second videos of pets and dances may no longer just go viral on the internet but could have a real impact on the ballot box.
