Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on running election campaign with special focus on local elections in the Repulic of Croatia

Predizborna kampanja je komunikacijski proces u kojem političke stranke i kandidati odašilju poruke građanima kako bi ih uvjerili da izađu na izbore i daju im svoj glas. Političke stranke pritom imaju na raspolaganju širok spektar najrazličitijih komunikacijskih sredstava i metoda. No bez obzira na razvoj tehnologije i medija te dostupnost najrazličitijih oblika oglašavanja, interpersonalni komunikacijski kanal je u predizbornim kampanjama i dalje ostao važan, posebno kad su u pitanju lokalni izbori. Međutim, pandemija koronavirusa je uzrokovala značajne poremećaje, ne samo gospodarske, nego i društvene. Samim time i političkim strankama je bilo otežano predstavljanje kandidata i programa u predizborno vrijeme. U radu se istražuje u kojoj su se mjeri hrvatske političke stranke u predizbornim kampanjama za vrijeme pandemije koronavirusa mogle osloniti na donacije fizičkih i pravnih osoba u usporedbi s predizbornim kampanjama za lokalne izbore održanim četiri godine ranije. Osim toga, istražuje se u kojoj su mjeri hrvatske političke stranke u predizbornim kampanjama za vrijeme pandemije koronavirusa ulagale u oglašavanje u usporedbi s kampanjama za lokalne izbore održanim četiri godine ranije. Provedenim istraživanjem utvrđeno je da su političke stranke u Hrvatskoj za vrijeme pandemije mogle manje osloniti na donacije te da su većoj mjeri ulagale u oglašavanje.An election campaign is a communication process in which political parties and candidates send messages to citizens to persuade them to go to the polls and vote for them. At the same time, political parties have at their disposal a wide range of various means and methods of communication. However, regardless of the development of technology and the media itself, as well as ever-expanding availability of various forms of advertising, the interpersonal communication channel has remained an important tool in election campaigns, especially when it comes to local elections. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions, not only economically, but also socially. Consequently, it became more challenging for political parties to present their candidates and programs during the pre-election period. This paper investigates the extent to which Croatian political parties could have relied upon donations from individuals and companies in election campaigns during COVID-19 pandemic, compared to campaigns for local elections held four years earlier. In addition, it investigates the extent to which Croatian political parties had used advertising in election campaigns during COVID-19 pandemic, compared to campaigns for local elections held four years earlier. Based on the conducted research, it can be concluded that political parties in Croatia experienced a decrease in both share and absolute amount of donations during pandemic, but simultaneously have had an increase in cost of advertising, both in share and absolute amount