From posts to polls

Policy Study

Recent surveys show that social media has emerged as a primary source of political information for young people—an opportunity the far right has effectively seized. Known as the year of super-elections, 2024 has underscored the drastic shift in political communications.

Our new study, From Posts to Polls, examines how political parties sought to engage young voters on Facebook and Instagram in Germany, Sweden, Hungary, and Poland before the 2024 European Parliament elections. It also explores what concerned young people just before the elections, why they chose to vote—or stay home—and how they picked whom to vote for. 

The findings reveal that young Europeans are primarily worried about economic issues and hold a rather bleak outlook on the future. Although some parties, notably Social Democrats and Greens, tried to address these concerns in a constructive way, their messaging often lacked coherence, strategic targeting, and acknowledgment of the diverse priorities within the youth electorate. In contrast, far-right parties achieved notably higher engagement by producing negative, provocative content, which current platform algorithms appear to reward.

From Posts to Polls argues that social democrats have an untapped opportunity: they are among the most liked and least rejected parties by young people. By crafting inclusive, future-oriented narratives focused on economic well-being—and adopting digital communication models allowing them to communicate from “one to many, to many more”—social democrats can better connect with young voters. Long-term regulatory strategies to counter algorithmic bias and incentivise constructive political dialogue are also essential.

This study offers critical insights for policymakers, party strategists, and civil society groups aiming to improve youth engagement, counter extremist narratives, and strengthen European democracy. To learn more, download the full report. A policy brief on the same topic, giving a concise overview on the findings of social media communication and respective recommendations is also available. 

This policy study was presented during the event ‘From posts to polls‘ on 12 December 2024.

Policy brief by Elena Avramoska, Matteo Dressler and Michael Jennewein

Less is more: How political parties reach young voters on Facebook and Instagram

This policy brief examines the social media strategies of political parties targeting young voters ahead of the 2024 European Parliament elections, focusing on Facebook and Instagram activity in Germany, Sweden, Hungary, and Poland. Social democratic parties and the Greens posted the highest proportion of content related to young people, relative to their total posts, but struggled to generate comparable engagement.

Conversely, far-right parties achieved the highest average interaction levels, despite posting fewer messages specific to young people, suggesting that precise, resonant messaging is more effective than broad outreach. The analysis reveals that parties often addressed young voters as a homogeneous group, lacking nuanced messaging tailored to diverse subgroups within the young people demographic. Content varied significantly by country, and democratic parties frequently failed to meet young people’s demands for concrete proposals and compelling narratives.

This has left a gap that can be exploited by far-right parties, who effectively fill it with simplistic solutions. Additionally, the use of toxic rhetoric – most prevalent among far-right parties – not only boosts engagement but also corrodes democratic discourse by undermining respectful competition of ideas.