Far-right party influence on polarization dynamics in electoral campaign

TL;DR

This paper examines how far-right parties influence polarization during electoral campaigns, showing that their presence generally increases polarization and affects hate speech dynamics in multi-party systems.

Contribution

It provides empirical analysis of the impact of far-right parties on polarization patterns using retweet networks in two Spanish elections, highlighting their role in shaping ideological divides.

Findings

Far-right presence intensifies polarization into distinct ideological blocks.

In Andalusia, far-right influence leads to a clear left-right polarization.

Hate speech is anti-correlated with polarization levels in studied cases.

Abstract

Political polarization has attracted increasing attention in recent years, driven by the rise of social media and the global emergence of far-right populist movements. This study investigates the dynamics of structural polarization during electoral campaigns in multi-party systems, with a particular focus on the presence of far-right actors and their influence on polarization patterns and hate speech. Using retweet networks as a measure of structural polarization, we analyze two case studies in Spain: the 2022 Andalusia regional elections, where the far-right party Vox was a significant contender, and the 2019 Barcelona city council elections, where the party had no representation. Our results reveal that the presence of a far-right party intensifies polarization, leading to the formation of two distinct ideological blocks aligned along left-right ideological axes, as observed in Andalusia. In contrast, the Catalan independence movement in Barcelona diluted the alignment of voters, resulting in a more complex, multi-axis polarization landscape. We also explore the relationship between polarization and hate speech, finding an anti-correlation between them in both cases. Our findings underscore the significant role of far-right movements in driving political polarization and the nuanced effects of different political contexts on polarization dynamics.