The Use of Propaganda Techniques in Electoral Campaigns of Zagreb's Mayoral Cadidates in the 2021 Local Election

Politička komunikacija u mnogočemu se promijenila u zadnjem stoljeću. S napretkom tehnologije, pojavili su se novi komunikacijski kanali, popularizirale su se nove komunikacijske forme, a s njima je došlo i do velikog zaokreta u političkim kampanjama. Tema propagande uvijek se može smatrati aktualnom, zbog implikacija koje ima na funkcioniranje demokratskih društava, stoga je istraživanje provedeno kako bi se vidjelo koriste li hrvatski političari propagandne tehnike koje su bile prisutne u diskursu prošlog stoljeća. Istraživanje komunikacije kandidata i kandidatkinja za gradonačelnika/cu Grada Zagreba na lokalnim izborima 2021. godine, temeljem analize diskursa objava na najpopularnijoj društvenoj mreži u Hrvatskoj, Facebook-u, i intervjua na najčitanijim online medijskim portalima, pokazalo je kako su tehnike koje su opisali američki Institute for Propaganda Analysis (1939.) i Ivan Šiber (1992.) i dalje prisutne u političkom diskursu. Nadalje, otkriveno je da su diskurzivne strategije propagandnih tehnika u skladu s trendovima u suvremenim političkim kampanjama poput personalizacije politčke komunikacije, humanizacije, „celebrity politics“ i medijatizacije politike.Political communication has undergone profound changes in the last century. With the advancements in technology, new communication channels have appeared, new forms of communication have become popular, and with them came a momentous change in political campaigns. The topic of propaganda can always be considered relevant, due to the impact propaganda has on the functioning of democratic societies. Therefore, research was conducted to see if Croatian politicians use propaganda techniques that were present in the global political discourse of the last century. A discourse analysis of Facebook posts (given its status as the most popular social network in Croatia) and interviews on the most widely read online media portals, made by candidates running for Mayor of Zagreb at the 2021 local elections, showed that the techniques described by the American Institute for Propaganda Analysis (1939) and Ivan Šiber (1992) are still present in political discourse. Furthermore, it was discovered that discursive strategies of propaganda techniques are in line with trends in contemporary political campaigns such as personalization of political communication, humanization, "celebrity politics" and mediatization of politics