Giorgia Meloni’s Communication Analysis: Does Her Party Represent The Italian Youth?

Bedini Matteo (2025) Giorgia Meloni’s Communication Analysis: Does Her Party Represent The Italian Youth? Külkereskedelmi Kar.

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Absztrakt (kivonat)

Giorgia Meloni’s rise to the Italian premiership and the rapid ascent of her party, Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy), are emblematic of the broader surge of right-wing and far-right politics in Europe. This thesis investigates whether Meloni’s party truly represents the Italian youth, focusing on her communication strategies and the substantive alignment-or lack thereof-between her policies and the priorities of younger generations.The research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from political communication theory, propaganda studies, and empirical data analysis. It examines Meloni’s use of social media-primarily Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook-where she tailors her messaging to different demographics. Instagram serves as her primary channel for youth outreach, where she blends personal branding with nationalist symbolism and influencer aesthetics. Her posts often feature family imagery, Italian traditions, and policy announcements, utilizing platform-specific tools like trending audio, AR filters, and meme culture to maximize engagement among users under 35. Educational content is delivered in micro-learning formats, while interactive features and partnerships with nano-influencers further expand her digital footprint. Despite these sophisticated tactics, the substance of her messaging remains rooted in traditional, nationalist values.On Twitter, Meloni’s communication is marked by populist rhetoric, emphasizing appeals to “the people,” anti-elite sentiments, and the identification of out-groups-particularly migrants-as threats to national identity. Over half her tweets use such framing, which resonates more with older and conservative audiences than with the youth. Facebook, meanwhile, is used for highly segmented demographic targeting, with content tailored by age, geography, and gender. Here, Meloni’s messaging is characterized by ideological consolidation, emotional triggers, and appeals to sovereignty and anti-EU sentiment. The youth-oriented content on Facebook, however, is largely superficial, and the platform’s main audience skews older.Survey data and political analyses reveal a pronounced generational divide: approval for Meloni and her party among Italians aged 18–34 is just 14%, compared to 33% among those over 55. Young Italians cite job insecurity, climate inaction, underfunded education, and regressive social policies as their main concerns. Meloni’s government has cut youth unemployment benefits, delayed renewable energy targets, and blocked LGBTQ+ rights legislation, deepening youth alienation. Youth voter turnout is low, and political mobilization is increasingly channeled through activist movements and independent media rather than traditional party structures.The reasons for youth disapproval are multifaceted. Economically, youth unemployment remains among the highest in the Eurozone, and government measures are seen as inadequate, favoring precarious work and failing to address structural issues. Cuts to university funding and increased tuition have sparked student protests, while the government’s opposition to LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality is at odds with the overwhelming majority of young Italians. Environmental policy is another flashpoint, with slow progress on renewables and increased fossil fuel investment prompting youth-led climate protests. Hardline migration policies and the failure to reform restrictive citizenship laws for second-generation Italians are widely criticized by young people. Concerns about media freedom, judicial independence, and state control of public discourse further drive youth disengagement and protest.An interview with Professor Carlo Fusaro, a legal scholar and former politician, highlights structural factors such as Italy’s aging population, conservative voter base, and economic stagnation, which limit youth influence. Fusaro notes that while Meloni’s government is not uniquely regressive compared to its predecessors, it fails to address youth priorities, reinforcing the perception that “Italy is not a country for young people.”In conclusion, while Meloni’s communication strategies are technologically advanced and effective in mobilizing her core electorate, they do not meaningfully represent or address the needs of Italian youth. The party’s policies and rhetoric remain disconnected from the priorities of younger generations, perpetuating a cycle of disengagement and dissatisfaction. The thesis ultimately finds that Italian youth are not well represented by the Meloni government-a continuation of a longstanding issue in Italian politics, exacerbated by the lack of credible political alternatives.

Intézmény

Budapesti Gazdasági Egyetem

Kar

Külkereskedelmi Kar

Tanszék

Kommunikáció Tanszék

Tudományterület/tudományág

NEM RÉSZLETEZETT

Szak

Kommunikáció és médiatudomány

Mű típusa:	diplomadolgozat (NEM RÉSZLETEZETT)
Kulcsszavak:	communication, Political communication, political systems, social responsibility, youth engagement
SWORD Depositor:	User Archive
Felhasználói azonosító szám (ID):	User Archive
Rekord készítés dátuma:	2025. Szep. 23. 12:54
Utolsó módosítás:	2025. Szep. 23. 12:54

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