The Role of Social Media on Electoral Strategy: An Examination of the 2023 Municipal Elections in Tirana, Albania

Abstract

The main goal of the current study is to ascertain the impact that social media platforms have on electoral strategy, communication tactics, and electoral outcomes in the specific context of the 2023 municipal elections in Tirana, Albania. The purpose of this study is to analyze the official usage data on Facebook and Instagram of Erion Veliaj, the current mayor of Tirana and a candidate associated with the Socialist Party. The temporal scope of the investigation encompasses the period spanning from April 1 to June 1, 2023. The main objective of this study is to investigate the possible impact of widespread use of social networks as a means of political communication on election results, as well as the manner in which this platform influences voter engagement with political candidates. The hypothesis posited in this study suggests that the extensive utilization of social media platforms by political candidates during the municipal elections in Albania in 2023 yielded a favorable effect on public participation in political discussions, hence exerting an influence on the electoral results. The research question under examination are as follows: What were the methods implemented by candidate Erion Veliaj in leveraging social media during the municipal election campaign of 2023? What is the relationship between social media engagement, as measured by quantitative metrics like likes, shares, follower growth rate, and engagement rate, and the electoral success of candidates in the 2023 Municipal Elections in Tirana, Albania? The study used a mixed-methods approach, which combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies, to investigate the correlation between the candidate's patterns of interaction, content tactics across different platforms, and the outcomes of the election. This comprehensive study aims to gain a thorough understanding of the substantial role of social media as a medium for political communication and its positive impact on electoral outcomes.

Received: 20 July 2023 / Accepted: 5 October 2023 / Published: 5 November 2023