Reaching, engaging and bonding with voters on social media: the case of 2014/2015 Croatian presidential elections

This paper examines the ways in which presidential candidates use social media in their election campaigns to democratise politics and political representation. The study is based on content analysis of statements which candidates in 2014/2015 Croatian presidential elections published on their official Facebook and Twitter accounts. The results show that candidates did not use social media to reach, engage and form stronger bonds with potential voters. By failing to do so, they have missed the opportunity to bring disenchanted voters back into the political arena and potentially increase the legitimacy of the democratic processes