Right-wing populist communication of the party AfD on TikTok: To what extend does the AfD use TikTok as part of its communication to win over young voters?

Abstract

This study focuses on the right-wing populist communication of the party "Alternative für Deutschland" (AfD) on TikTok because of the party's increasing popularity and social media presence. The theoretical foundations are provided by framing theory and the theory of right-wing populism. The study raises the question of the extent to which the AfD uses TikTok in its communication to win over young voters. The research leading question is answered by three research questions that deal with the content, linguistic and audiovisual means and the adaptation of the platform rules. This study draws on the content-structuring qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz (2018). From the AfD's public TikTok videos from the end of 2022 to the end of 2023, 120 videos from six accounts, both party and member of parliament accounts, were identified as the object of investigation using the concentration principle. The analysis is based on 13 main categories and 145 subcategories, which were derived from theory and supplemented inductively. The results show that AfD communication covers topics such as security, anti-establishment attitudes and identity politics. They evoke concerns about general security, such as financial stability, fighting crime, the consequences of war and restrictions on personal freedoms. In doing so, they fuel existential fears and create a climate of insecurity. The party uses populist stylistic devices such as provocation, conspiracy rhetoric, emotionalization, and fear-mongering, simplifying complex issues and undermining rational discourse. It constructs an absolute truth through its own narratives. The AfD hardly adapts any interactive functions and does not follow any TikTok trends. The analysis shows that communication focuses more on content than entertainment. Nevertheless, the AfD relies on a strong visual identity and branding through the integration of colors and logos. Hypotheses can be derived from the results of this research, which serve as a starting point for further research. The findings underline the urgency for democratic parties to adapt their communication strategy on the TikTok platform in order to ultimately reach not only young voters, but also the growing electorate.