In recent years, authoritarian populist parties have strengthened their positions in several European countries. Previous research shows how they use a clear “us versus them” narrative to mobilize voters, particularly on the issue of migration. Migration is framed as a threat to national security, culture and identity, while the parties advocate closed borders, stricter legislation and increased surveillance.
"Research on right-wing populism has long focused on speeches and written texts. In my dissertation, I instead examine how visual and linguistic expressions interact in the discourse of authoritarian populist parties, and how they create messages about fear and belonging, threat and security", says Salma Bouchafra, PhD candidate at the Department of Journalism, Media and Communication.
The dissertation is based on an analysis of approximately 4,000 posts published on social media platforms during election campaigns by various political actors, including the authoritarian populist parties the Sweden Democrats in Sweden, Rassemblement National in France, and Vox in Spain. The material was collected from Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok.
The results show that the three populist parties systematically combined linguistic messages with powerful visual expressions to reach voters.
"The different components reinforced each other and contributed to transforming migration from a political issue into an urgent security threat. The overarching narrative was similar across the three parties: the people were portrayed as insecure and in need of protection, migrants and other designated groups were constructed as threats, and the parties positioned themselves as the only actors capable of offering protection".
At the same time, communication was adapted to national contexts, digital platforms and target audiences.
"A message is packaged differently on TikTok than on Facebook, even if the core content remains the same. The parties are skilled at exploiting the logic of platforms. Format, pace and visual language are tailored to evoke emotions and generate engagement."
The importance of scrutinizing visual political communication
One particularly notable finding in the dissertation, according to Salma Bouchafra, is that the Sweden Democrats provided editable campaign templates that allowed supporters to modify the design of messages and spread them further within their own networks.
"This makes communication more interactive and less hierarchically controlled, but it also contributes to the amplification and spread of threat narratives across broader digital environments. When content circulates beyond the parties’ direct control, questions also arise about responsibility and the spread of misleading information".
In a media landscape where social media platforms are central arenas for political communication, understanding this form of visual political communication becomes crucial. When threat images are repeatedly circulated and security rhetoric becomes part of everyday political discourse, extraordinary political measures – such as closing borders – risk appearing self-evident and necessary. In this way, not only the migration debate is affected, but also the conditions for democratic debate and pluralism.
"When fear becomes normalized in politics, the boundaries for how we talk about rights, belonging and democratic institutions begin to shift", says Salma Bouchafra.
