The fact that money talks has become one of the most problematic aspects of elections in liberal democracies, posing a constant threat to the notion of a level playing field where discussion is directed by the strength of argument, rather than who has the greatest means to amplify their voice.
Whilst Europe doesn't have such egregious allowances as in the US – where Super PACs can effectively funnel an infinite amount of cash into political campaigns – spending here is still a fundamental part of how parties boost their profile, engage a broader audience, and sometimes discredit opponents.
Central to the communications strategies that many political groups use today is online presence, the internet being a fertile ground to target specific demographics and control the conversation without the message being diluted by mainstream mediators, who might not present your cause the way you wish.
The power of social media for political ends was weaponized by Cambridge Analytica, a consulting firm that harvested data through user interactions on Facebook to create compelling adverts that it is thought had a decisive impact in the 2016 Brexit referendum. The ensuing scandal illuminated the power of these non-conventional channels for political promotion. But it didn't stop the campaigns.
In fact, Belgium is home to Europe's biggest spenders when it comes to social media campaigns, with right-wing Flemish parties outstripping other parties by far. Figures for 2023 show that Facebook is still the major site for this spending, which has gone up 20% over the past year. Most notable was far-right Vlaams Belang, who spent €1,688,244 on Facebook ads in 2023.
This push comes as polls mark out the hardline Flemish separatists as the leading party in the region. At the same time, they have been frosted out of the political picture by Belgium's "cordon sanitaire" – an agreement among the traditional Flemish parties to never form a coalition with Vlaams Belang and exclude it from parliamentary dialogue.
The spending revelations question the efficacy of the cordon sanitaire in an increasingly complex mediascape. It also has the potential to tap into a younger voter group than might traditionally be associated with right-leaning movements. The typical view of older voters being key to the success of right-wing groups has been disrupted in recent elections, where support from younger voters has swelled.
Will political ads pull Belgium's young to the right? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
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