Far-right political parties in Europe are increasingly turning to social networking platforms in order to attract a younger generation of voters who may be disillusioned with traditional parties. Leaders such as Tom Vandendriessche of the Vlaams Belang in Belgium believe that young people are losing trust in established political parties due to issues such as uncontrolled borders, mass migration, insecurity, and terrorism. To counter this, far-right parties are using platforms like TikTok to reach out to young voters, with Belgium’s Vlaams Belang, Italy’s League party, Portugal’s Chega party, and France’s National Rally all actively posting short videos on social media in an attempt to engage with younger audiences.
One example of a young voter who feels disinterested in politics is Nateo Carnot, a 16-year-old first-time voter from Belgium who views politics as being controlled by elites who do not listen to the concerns of young people. Despite this disinterest, the 2019 European elections saw record turnout among young people, with 62 percent of all respondents in a poll expressing support for the European Union. This support rises to 67 percent when considering only 18 to 29-year-olds. Additionally, a recent Euronews-Ipsos survey found that combating rising prices, reducing social inequalities and unemployment, supporting economic growth, and fighting climate change are key priorities for young voters in Europe.
Far-right parties are investing significant sums of money in social media campaigns in an effort to attract young voters who may feel disillusioned with traditional parties. By using platforms like TikTok, these parties believe they can effectively target a demographic that is increasingly skeptical of the political establishment. Leaders such as Matteo Salvini of Italy’s League party, André Ventura of Portugal’s Chega party, and Jordan Bardella of France’s National Rally are among those who regularly post short videos on social media to engage with young voters. This strategy reflects a broader trend in which far-right parties are looking to capitalize on the disaffection of young people with mainstream political parties.
Despite the efforts of far-right parties to engage with young voters, there is still a sense of disinterest and mistrust among many in this demographic. Nateo Carnot’s perspective on politics as being disconnected from the concerns of ordinary people is echoed by other young voters who feel that their voices are not being heard by those in power. However, the high turnout among young people in the 2019 European elections suggests that there is a growing interest and engagement in political issues among this demographic. This trend highlights the need for political parties to address the concerns and priorities of young voters in order to effectively engage with them.
The growing support for far-right parties among younger voters poses a challenge to traditional political parties in Europe. As more young people express disillusionment with the status quo and turn towards far-right parties for solutions to pressing issues such as economic inequality, unemployment, and climate change, mainstream parties must adapt their strategies to appeal to this demographic. The rise of far-right parties on social media platforms like TikTok underscores the need for traditional parties to engage with young voters where they are – online. By addressing the concerns and priorities of young people, mainstream parties can effectively counter the appeal of far-right parties and attract a diverse range of voters across different age groups and demographics.
