No 55 (2024): Political communication in the face of economic crises.

In this issue of Más Poder Local, from national, regional, and international perspectives, we explore how political communication strategies, as well as their effects, change during periods of uncertainty and economic crisis. Recessive periods are increasingly becoming opportunities for polarisation, where public opinion is significantly altered.

We aim to reflect on key questions such as: Do preferences regarding public spending change during economic crises? Does public opinion objectively assess the economic situation, or is it influenced by political polarisation? Does the ideology of the candidates affect the discursive strategies on poverty and inequality? How do political leaders or parties adapt their communication strategies during economic crises?

This monograph begins with a community-focused article by predoctoral researchers Rocío Valés and David García. It examines the impact that economic crises can have on communication within the European Union, specifically through a psycholinguistic analysis of the State of the Union addresses during the mandates of Juncker and von der Leyen (2015-2023). This thorough work highlights the positivity and optimism that emanates from these speeches, although with differences in their linguistic patterns and psychological processes.

Next, focusing on the Spanish case, we have the article by Professor Ruth Cicuéndez about the evolution of longitudinal preferences (2006-2023) regarding public spending and its relationship with various governmental discursive strategies over the same period. Her findings suggest that economic crises lead to greater public support for increased spending on social policies, although political discourse does not appear to have a decisive influence on this behaviour.

Similarly, from an international perspective, we find Professor Victoria Elena González’s analysis of the role of ideology in the speeches of Gustavo Petro and Rodolfo Hernández during the 2023 Colombian electoral campaign, specifically addressing the issues of poverty and inequality. Through a methodological categorisation of "Expressions of Ideology in Discourse" by Van Dijk, her findings show the effect of each candidate's political ideology on the thematic treatment in their political speeches.

Continuing with another analysis of the Spanish case, we find the article by Professors Jordi Rodríguez-Virgili, Alfonso Vara-Miguel, and Aurken Sierra, which examines, using barometers from the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS), the relationship between political polarisation and the perception of family and general economic conditions in Spain. Their analysis shows how the Spanish public adopts a more ideological than economic approach when evaluating their personal and family economic situation, thereby demonstrating the polarising influence of political elites and the media.

This monograph concludes with two consultancy notes that offer a more applied and practical perspective on the subject at hand. First, Professor-Researcher Alberto Zuart presents the ICR model as a new responsible political communication strategy that helps to connect and strengthen trust between the political class and citizens. This model goes beyond a theoretical construct, having been successfully applied in several electoral campaigns in contexts of economic, political, and social crisis. Lastly, as a final note to this monograph, we have the contribution of journalist and parliamentary assistant Manuel Bartolomé, who explores the specific characteristics that must be considered during an economic crisis for effective and public-service-oriented political communication. He emphasises the importance of "framing" public issues, as the public's direct experience with economic problems makes it more difficult to deceive.

María Goenaga
Coordinator of issue no. 55, January 2024.