The New Rules of Political Communication – a European perspective

by Iiris Andre:

Political communication has always been about finding balance between sharing facts and evoking feelings. But, if past decades were a time of uncertainty for European political communications, today’s environment is a whirlwind of unpredictability. What worked yesterday no longer works today – and no one knows about tomorrow. Social media platforms play by new rules, the rise of Artificial Intelligence makes it harder to separate fact from fiction, politicians are no longer the authority figures they once were and our societies are defined by declining trust in institutions and democracy. The old rules of political communications no longer apply, which means new ones must be written.

Rule 1: Engagement comes first

The era of top-down political messaging is long gone. Voters have grown skeptical of carefully curated narratives and campaigns designed to the last detail, seeking authenticity instead. Increasingly, they turn to friends, family and peers to shape their political views. Some of the biggest political events in recent years, from Brexit to the rise of populist leaders across Europe, have been driven by movements that were able to engage directly with voters and make the most of opportunities brought up by new media.

For political communicators, this change means conversation needs to come before control. Today’s political messaging must be interactive and go from voters to politicians as much as the other way around. Listening has become as essential a skill for politicians as speaking.

I learned the importance of engagement while working on the ALDE Party’s campaign on the Conference on the Future of Europe a few years ago. Ensuring that citizens had meaningful opportunities to contribute to shaping the future of our continent, whether in-person or online, turned out to be one of the most crucial elements of the campaign. Shifting from passive observation to active engagement allowed voters to have a concrete say in shaping the future.

Rule 2: It all comes down to trust – or the lack of it

Trust in political institutions and politicians seems to be at an all-time low across Europe. Economic uncertainty, the energy crisis, the ongoing war in Ukraine and other smaller and bigger crises have left many perceived – or real – disconnects between European leaders and citizens, further fueling voter cynicism. For political communicators this mean skepticism and fear are default settings instead of hope and trust.

However, building trust is about so much more than just the message. It is about consistency, transparency, accountability and regularity. And, perhaps most of all, authenticity. This is perhaps particularly true for policy communications, which aims to explain complex issues in a clear and relatable way.

A great example of the challenges of building trust through political communications was the COVID-19 pandemic. There were no silver bullets to solve a situation that took everyone by surprise. Yet, in our communications, we chose an approach of showing instead of telling: sharing as many concrete examples as possible of Europe’s liberal politicians working towards solving the crisis, listening to the concerns and ideas of citizens and highlighting moments of cross-border cooperation. Sharing real stories made complex policies and decisions more relatable and helped counter voter skepticism by demonstrating that political action was being taken.

Rule 3: AI might not be the asset you think it is

AI is both a revolutionary tool and a potential disruptor for political communications. The benefits of AI stem from its ability to generate content at a quick pace and help campaigns anticipate shifts in public opinion. AI-driven chatbots can also help engage voters at scale. It has the potential to be the ultimate tool for busy political communications teams.

But what if AI will make political communications generic instead of smart? Most of us are already able to recognise if content has been generated by AI – in politics, relying on generic and predictable content that lacks emotional resonance and human touch is the exact opposite of what the voters want. And what’s worse, using AI generated images and videos or sharing messages written by AI without fact-checking could further erode public trust.

It is crucial that political communicators integrate AI into their strategies and content strategically and transparently. The EU AI Act sets clear guidelines and will undoubtedly shape how AI tools are used in political campaigns moving forward. However, regulation alone won’t preserve what makes political communication truly effective. Emotional intelligence, cultural nuance, detailed knowledge of voter segments and real-world examples are all elements that AI can’t replicate.

While many things for future political communications remain uncertain, one thing is for sure: the pace of change will not slow down. Those who succeed will be the ones who embrace adaptability and innovation while maintaining the human touch and providing concreteness. For those who don’t manage, irrelevance is the only certainty.

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Iiris André is the former Head of Communications & Press at the European Liberal Party, where she developed political messages and oversaw all aspects of the party’s communications outputs. She currently works at the European Judicial Training Network and is a #WeLeadComms Honoree.

Written by: Editor