Editorial: European Elections in Times of (Poly)Crises: Populism, Polarization, Emotions, and the Deliberative Disintegration

Abstract

This thematic issue of Media and Communication examines how the 2024 European Parliament elections reflect broader transformations of political communication in the digital age. Contributions show how infrastructures of manipulation, emotional and visual repertoires, and algorithmic logics amplify populism, disinformation, and polarization, while weakening deliberation. Analyses of youth orientations, electoral arenas, and media systems reveal how negativity and symbolic performance increasingly outweigh substantive dialogue. Comparative perspectives highlight the global scope of these dynamics. Collectively, the studies point toward a process of "deliberative disintegration," signaling democratic vulnerabilities and the urgent need to foster resilience.