Last-minute social media campaigns discourage European voters. ‘Euronews’ takes a look at several EU countries where this phenomenon has been observed and examines whether it has worked.
He European Parliament warned this Wednesday that last-minute campaigns are being spread on social networks to deter people to vote in this week’s European elections.
Let’s look at some examples that circulate in the different EU countries and analyze whether they are effective.
Italy: stay at home, even though abstention does not change power
In Italia seems to be growing abstentionist movement. Under the hashtags #iononvoto (I don’t vote) and #iorestoacasa (I stay at home), thousands of users on X indicate that will not participate in the elections and reject the political system. According to a spokesperson for the EU Parliament who identified and denounced this movement, they intend to dissuade other citizens to go to the polls this Saturday and Sunday.
“It is a narrative that we saw during the last elections repeat itself over and over again [que] The elections would not be free and fair,” the spokesperson said this Thursday. In fact, this ‘hashtag’ was previously used in the 2014 and 2022 national votes.
These publications are usually accompanied by photo montages or video whose objective is ridicule politicians and their parties. Although the content varies, some recurring themes include rejection of the EU, hostility towards immigrantsdistrust towards vaccines and the refusal to send Italian troops to help Ukrainethus suggesting a possible Russian intervention.
Germany: check the box (but the right one! )
German voters received TikTok images in which they were told how to mark their ballots when voting in the European elections. The messages warn that a cross that fits inside the circle is correct and will be counted, while a cross that extends beyond its borders is incorrect and will be disqualified. ‘Euronews’, has explained that it is a plot against the German far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD).
According to the hoax accounts, the electoral officials would be verifying that AfD votes only fit inside the circle and they do not exceed the margins; otherwise, they will be considered void. However, German election law says voters can mark their ballots by putting a cross in the circle or “otherwise.”
Another issue related to voting by mail has caused confusion: some posts on ballots with corners cut They are null. However, this is also wrong. German election law states that postal ballots are cut at the corners to accommodate people with visual disability.
The objective is to increase the abstention that in Germany is also located among young people.
Spain and France: Bad advice for making a null vote
The disinformation It is not always organized from abroad and can arise from individual initiatives with humorous or deceptive intentions. A handful of users Spanish people shared with his followers a “technique” that supposedly allows the “dual vote”. They claimed that by placing two ballots in the envelope and adding a handwritten note with a percentage, it would be possible to divide the vote between two parties.
This supposed trick is not effective at all, since invalidates the vote. The attached photos always show a vote divided between the Popular Party and Vox and come from user accounts that previously supported left-wing positions, which indicates that their objective is fool right-wing voters.
In Francewhile the pro-Palestinian cause is a prominent issue in the left-wing party’s campaign Francia Insumisa, that heads Jean-Luc Mélenchon people hostile to the party suggested add a drawing of a Palestinian flag on the ballot to show your support.
This suggestion deceptive, humorous o maliciouswas criticized by some X users, as well as by party officials, including the deputy Manuel Bompardwhich caught the attention of the journalist who wrote one of the tweets, accusing her of trying to “mislead voters“. The result of following that advice would simply be null votes.
Fear of “foreign interference”
In addition to these internal efforts to sow confusion, EU-related disinformation by foreign actors is reaching the highest levels in its history.
He European Digital Media Observatoryindependent network fact checkpublished a study on Tuesday showing that misinformation about EU policies or institutions accounted for 15% of all cases they detected in May, the highest value seen since they started tracking EU disinformation in 2023.
In fact this Thursday, the first election day in the Netherlands, A group of pro-Russian hackers has claimed responsibility for what appears to be a coordinated attack against party websites Dutch politicians e institutions of the EU.
However, Meta -company that owns Instagram y Facebook– stated in its threat report published late last month that malicious attempts to influence the users of their platforms focused mainly on local elections and not on the upcoming European elections. The technology giant stated that I didn’t see any signs that these groups were gaining followers among users.
