Negativity and negative campaigning in EP elections in the
Czech Republic

C 2026

Negativity and negative campaigning in EP elections in the Czech Republic

POSPÍŠIL MACKOVÁ, Alena; Martina NOVOTNÁ a Lucie ČEJKOVÁ

Základní údaje

Originální název

Negativity and negative campaigning in EP elections in the Czech Republic

Autoři

POSPÍŠIL MACKOVÁ, Alena ; Martina NOVOTNÁ a Lucie ČEJKOVÁ

Vydání

Wiesbaden, 'The Peculiar Four' and Europe : Political Communication in Social Media in the Visegrad Countries before the 2024 European Parliament Elections, od s. 13-30, 18 s. Studien zur Multikulturalität, vol. 17, 2026

Nakladatel

Harrassowitz Verlag

Další údaje

Jazyk

angličtina

Typ výsledku

Kapitola resp. kapitoly v odborné knize

Obor

50802 Media and socio-cultural communication

Stát vydavatele

Německo

Utajení

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Forma vydání

tištěná verze "print"

Označené pro přenos do RIV

Ano

Organizační jednotka

Fakulta sociálních studií

ISBN

978-3-447-12495-9

Klíčová slova anglicky

political campaigns; negative campaigns; Facebook; European elections; European Union; populism

Změněno: 28. 1. 2026 12:09, Mgr. et Mgr. Alena Pospíšil Macková, Ph.D.

Anotace

V originále

This chapter examines the prevalence, targets, and effects of negativity and negative campaigning on Facebook during the 2024 European Parliament election campaign in the Czech Republic. Drawing on manual content analysis of 2,241 Facebook posts published in the final four weeks of the campaign (May 11–June 9, 2024) by major parties/coalitions and prominent candidates, the study distinguishes between general negative tone and targeted negative campaigning. Using descriptive comparisons and generalized linear mixed models with account-level random effects, the analysis shows that negativity was widespread but unevenly distributed: it was most pronounced among opposition actors—particularly radical-right and protest-oriented parties—while governing parties used negative appeals more sparingly and often reactively. The national government emerged as the most frequent target of attacks, with EU-related criticism concentrated mainly among radical challengers and often tied to sovereignty, migration, and value-based themes. Contrary to common assumptions about visual amplification, images and videos were generally less likely to accompany negative messages, except in anti-EU posts where visuals played a stronger symbolic role. Finally, negative content was associated with higher numbers of reactions but tended to generate fewer comments and shares, suggesting attention and emotional response rather than broader diffusion or deliberative engagement.

Návaznosti

MUNI/A/1661/2024, interní kód MU

Název: Současné problémy výzkumu médií a jejich publik V

Investor: Masarykova univerzita, Současné problémy výzkumu médií a jejich publik V

MUNI/R/1348/2023, interní kód MU

Název: CAREER RESTART

Investor: Masarykova univerzita, CAREER RESTART, CAREER RESTART

22410053, interní kód MU

Název: EU Campaign race in V4 - political communication in social media before the 2024 EP elections

Investor: Mezinárodní visegrádský fond (IVF), EU Campaign race in V4 - political communication in social media before the 2024 EP elections

Citovat

POSPÍŠIL MACKOVÁ, Alena; Martina NOVOTNÁ a Lucie ČEJKOVÁ. Negativity and negative campaigning in EP elections in the Czech Republic. In Baranowski, Paweł; Bene, Marton; Pospíšil Mackova, Alena and Garaj, Michal. 'The Peculiar Four' and Europe : Political Communication in Social Media in the Visegrad Countries before the 2024 European Parliament Elections. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2026, s. 13-30. Studien zur Multikulturalität, vol. 17. ISBN 978-3-447-12495-9.

@inbook{2548417,
   author = {Pospíšil Macková, Alena and Novotná, Martina and Čejková, Lucie},
   address = {Wiesbaden},
   booktitle = {'The Peculiar Four' and Europe : Political Communication in Social Media in the Visegrad Countries before the 2024 European Parliament Elections},
   editor = {Baranowski, Paweł; Bene, Marton; Pospíšil Mackova, Alena and Garaj, Michal},
   keywords = {political campaigns; negative campaigns; Facebook; European elections; European Union; populism},
   howpublished = {tištěná verze "print"},
   language = {eng},
   location = {Wiesbaden},
   isbn = {978-3-447-12495-9},
   pages = {13-30},
   publisher = {Harrassowitz Verlag},
   title = {Negativity and negative campaigning in EP elections in the Czech Republic},
   year = {2026}
}

TY  - CHAP
ID  - 2548417
AU  - Pospíšil Macková, Alena - Novotná, Martina - Čejková, Lucie
PY  - 2026
TI  - Negativity and negative campaigning in EP elections in the Czech Republic
VL  - Studien zur Multikulturalität, vol. 17
PB  - Harrassowitz Verlag
CY  - Wiesbaden
SN  - 9783447124959
KW  - political campaigns
KW  - negative campaigns
KW  - Facebook
KW  - European elections
KW  - European Union
KW  - populism
N2  - This chapter examines the prevalence, targets, and effects of negativity and negative campaigning on Facebook during the 2024 European Parliament election campaign in the Czech Republic. Drawing on manual content analysis of 2,241 Facebook posts published in the final four weeks of the campaign (May 11–June 9, 2024) by major parties/coalitions and prominent candidates, the study distinguishes between general negative tone and targeted negative campaigning. Using descriptive comparisons and generalized linear mixed models with account-level random effects, the analysis shows that negativity was widespread but unevenly distributed: it was most pronounced among opposition actors—particularly radical-right and protest-oriented parties—while governing parties used negative appeals more sparingly and often reactively. The national government emerged as the most frequent target of attacks, with EU-related criticism concentrated mainly among radical challengers and often tied to sovereignty, migration, and value-based themes. Contrary to common assumptions about visual amplification, images and videos were generally less likely to accompany negative messages, except in anti-EU posts where visuals played a stronger symbolic role. Finally, negative content was associated with higher numbers of reactions but tended to generate fewer comments and shares, suggesting attention and emotional response rather than broader diffusion or deliberative engagement.
ER  -

POSPÍŠIL MACKOVÁ, Alena; Martina NOVOTNÁ a Lucie ČEJKOVÁ. Negativity and negative campaigning in EP elections in the Czech Republic. In Baranowski, Paweł; Bene, Marton; Pospíšil Mackova, Alena and Garaj, Michal. \textit{'The Peculiar Four' and Europe : Political Communication in Social Media in the Visegrad Countries before the 2024 European Parliament Elections}. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2026, s.~13-30. Studien zur Multikulturalität, vol. 17. ISBN~978-3-447-12495-9.

Přehled o publikaci