Understanding turbulent political times through innovative EU-funded research

The challenges of the age

At the same time, especially since 2016 several elections and referenda have been characterised by relatively unprecedented misrepresentation and ‘fake news’ campaigns that undermine the notion of informed participation. More generally, democratic politics has witnessed a surge of protest and so-called ‘populist’ politics that have redefined the political space in many democratic countries and what it means to participate politically as a citizen. Some of the roots of these political trends can be traced back to the late 2000s’ financial and economic crisis which exacerbated inequality levels, drove many governments to pursue austerity policies, led to stagnant living standards and resulted in a strong distrust by many citizens of the supposed ‘political elites’.

The role of new technologies in reshaping democratic participation in the modern world is worth special attention. Social media has connected billions of people in ways that were unimaginable a few years ago, allowing news (including ‘fake’ stories), opinions and messages to spread worldwide in a matter of minutes. Technology is even changing the mechanics of democratic participation, such as the introduction in many countries over recent years of e-voting machines that have replaced the traditional pencil ballot, the increasing popularity of ‘direct’ forms of democracy that could be facilitated through digital advances and engagement with social media platforms concerning stronger checks on deceptive bots and the spread of fake news.