Fandom politici e social media:
l’affettività nella fase preelettorale

Marco Mazzoni; Sara Consonni

doi:10.3280/SC2025-069002

Political Fandoms and Social Media: Affectivity before Elections

Journal title SOCIOLOGIA DELLA COMUNICAZIONE
Author/s Marco Mazzoni, Sara Consonni
Publishing Year 2025 Issue 2025/69
Language Italian Pages 19 P. 30-48 File size 251 KB
DOI 10.3280/SC2025-069002
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This article analyses political fandom in Italy through the cases of Giorgia Meloni, Giuseppe Conte, Elly Schlein, and Matteo Salvini. Based on 7,622 social media posts from April to June 2024 (during the Italian campaign for the European elections), the study examines affective expressions toward leaders to assess whether they reflect structured fandoms, spontaneous participation, or orchestrated strategies. It focuses on the strategic use of emotions during the electoral campaign. Using a mixed-methods approach, the article offers an interpretive lens on emerging forms of political participation in today’s digital ecosystem.

Keywords: political fandom, social media, leadership, identity narratives, affective polarization, destructive polarization.

Marco Mazzoni, Sara Consonni, Fandom politici e social media: l’affettività nella fase preelettorale in "SOCIOLOGIA DELLA COMUNICAZIONE " 69/2025, pp 30-48, DOI: 10.3280/SC2025-069002